Prescription of Proton Pump Inhibitors in Elderly Subjects in Real Life: A Retrospective Study in a Gastroenterology Department

Abstract

The proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) is an effective and widely used treatment but may cause side effects, especially for the elderly. Materials and methods: this is a cross-sectional study including 45 patients older than 65 years, followed at our outpatient and treated with PPIs for at least a year. The indication for PPI, the results of any endoscopy, and the quality of the tolerance of these molecules is specified by the data folder. During the consultation, we conducted an interrogation to an update of the history and medications to our patients and a type checking of the molecule, the dose, and the quality of the observance. Results: patients were divided into 32 women and 13 men with a mean age of 75 ± 7 years (65-92). The average length of PPI use was 6 ± 4 years (1-16) with a consumption of a double dose for at least 1 year in 28.8% of cases. The prescribed dose was higher than the recommended dose in at least 15.5% of cases. PPIs were well tolerated. One patient had presented a microscopic colitis, revealed by diarrhea regressed after discontinuation of PPIs. Conclusion: PPIs were prescribed in elderly subjects by gastroenterologists, in a university center, with a high dose and long. In our series, this treatment is well tolerated in the elderly.