Effect of a Proton Pump Inhibitor Deprescribing Guideline on Drug Usage and Costs in Long-Term Care

Abstract Objectives To assess the effect of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) deprescribing guideline on PPI usage and PPI drug costs in one long-term care home in Ontario, Canada. Design Interrupted time-series analysis to compare monthly PPI usage and average monthly PPI cost per resident 9 months before guideline implementation to 12 months after. Setting One long-term care home in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Participants Long-term care residents prescribed a PPI over a 21-month period (n = 335). Intervention PPI deprescribing guideline and decision support tool used during quarterly medication reviews. Measurements (1) Total number of PPI prescriptions (PPI usage) and (2) average PPI drug cost per resident. We also measured the proportion of residents whose PPI was deprescribed in the preguideline period and postguideline period. Results The deprescribing guideline was associated with a decrease in PPI usage but the association was not statistically significant (−8.7 prescriptions, 95% confidence interval [CI] −22.0 to 4.6). The PPI guideline led to a significant decrease in average monthly PPI drug cost per resident over time (0.16 CAD reduction per month; 95% CI −0.29 to −0.03). In the 9 months before intervention, 57 (27.8%) of 205 eligible residents had their PPI deprescribed, and in the 12 months after intervention 134 (50.0%) of 268 eligible residents had their PPI deprescribed (difference in proportions of 22.2%; 95% CI 13.4–30.4). Discussion/conclusion The deprescribing guideline was associated with a decline PPI usage; however, this negative association was not statistically significant. PPI usage declined in the initial 6 months after guideline implementation but began to climb back to baseline after this, which may explain the lack of a significant reduction in PPI usage. This suggests that it was difficult to maintain PPI deprescribing efforts long-term. Although implementation of a PPI deprescribing guideline may lead to an initial reduction in PPI usage, and a significant reduction in the average cost of PPI prescriptions over time, it is imperative to explore ways to sustain deprescribing guideline use.