Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Resident Doctors Towards use of Proton Pump Inhibitors in A Tertiary Care Hospital in Pune, India: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background and Objectives: The most commonly prescribed drugs in healthcare systems are proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Several studies have found that globally PPIs are frequently used without proper justification. Appropriate and updated knowledge about PPI among medical professionals is essential to enhance the rationale of PPI application. The present study with this goal was initiated to evaluate the understanding and behavioral practices toward PPI use among resident doctors in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Pune, western India. Method: A cross sectional survey using structured questionnaire. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 137 resident doctors. 82.5% of them prescribed acid-suppressing drugs for acute gastritis and other drugs in combination with them as the most common indications for the majority of their patients. These prescriptions were based on the consultant's or unit's policy, and resident doctors were not given the liberty to breach this policy. 71.5% of the respondents chose PPIs as their first choice, and 75.1% preferred the oral route. 10.2% of them claimed to have encountered a PPI-related adverse event. Despite the fact that 75.9% of the respondents preferred to prescribe PPIs for short durations, a lack of awareness about the possible risks associated with chronic PPI use was noted. 58.4% of resident doctors preferred using the step-down strategy, but 19.7% of participants were unaware of step up or step down when prescribing PPIs. The concept of drug interactions with the co-administration of PPI was also less understood by study participants. Conclusion: In the present survey study participants had less knowledge on correct indications for PPI usage as they fared PPI over any other acid-reducing medications to majority of their patients. There was also a lack of understanding of PPI adverse drug reactions, drug-drug interactions, and specific PPI administration approaches.