Proton Pump Inhibitor Overuse in India: An Emerging Public Health Challenge- A Narrative Review

Gunjan Khurana; Puneet Kashyap

Proton Pump Inhibitor Overuse in India: An Emerging Public Health Challenge- A Narrative Review

Author(s)	Dr. Gunjan Khurana, Dr. Puneet Kashyap
Country	India
Abstract	Proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs, are among the most commonly prescribed drug classes in the world because of their effectiveness in treating gastrointestinal diseases caused by acid reflux.A significant percentage of PPI prescriptions may be written without obvious clinical grounds, according to mounting data from India and a number of other nations. This overuse trend has significant public health ramifications.The prevalence, causes, clinical effects, and financial burden of improper PPI usage in India's healthcare system are all summarized in this narrative review.Inappropriate PPI prescribing is widespread, with estimates ranging from 33% to 91%, according to hospital-based research carried out in tertiary care facilities in India. This pattern seems to be caused by a number of factors, such as easy access to over-the-counter medications, frequent co-prescription with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs even in patients with low gastrointestinal risk, poor adherence to evidence-based prescribing guidelines, and a lack of knowledge among healthcare professionals about the possible negative effects of long-term use. Although PPIs are generally considered safe, unnecessary long-term exposure has been linked to a number of adverse outcomes, such as Clostridioides difficile infection, vitamin B12 deficiency, hypomagnesemia, acute interstitial nephritis, chronic kidney disease, and an increased risk of fractures. With PPI expenses making up as much as 19.93% of total outpatient pharmaceutical prices in Indian settings, the financial burden is enormous. Although recent international and regional consensus guidelines on PPI rationalization have emerged, their implementation in India remains limited. This review concludes that a multifaceted strategy encompassing prescriber education, electronic clinical decision support, pharmacist-led medication review, structured deprescribing protocols, and regulatory tightening of over-the-counter access is urgently needed to curtail PPI overuse in India and safeguard public health.
Keywords	Keywords: proton pump inhibitors; inappropriate prescribing; public health; India; deprescribing; adverse drug reactions; rational use of medicines
Field	Medical / Pharmacy
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 5, September-October 2026
Published On	2026-09-16

View / Download PDF File

About IJFMR Fees & Payment Current Issue Publication Archive	Submit Research Paper Track Submission Status Publication Guidelines Publication Ethics Peer Review & Plagiarism	Join as a Reviewer Editors & Reviewers Reviewer Referral Program Get Reviewer Membership Certi.	Website/Journal Policies Usage Policy Content Policies Privacy Policy

Contact Us		+91-9687-828-838	editor@ijfmr.com

International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

A Widely Indexed Open Access Peer Reviewed Multidisciplinary Bi-monthly Scholarly International Journal

Proton Pump Inhibitor Overuse in India: An Emerging Public Health Challenge- A Narrative Review

Share this