Background: Proton Pump Inhibitors are largely prescribed to the patients in West Bay health center, Primary Health Care, Doha, Qatar. Patients often continue therapy for extended durations without an end point. Studies have found that up to 70 percent of PPI use is for unapproved indications. Long-term PPI use has been associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in two cohorts of institutionalized older persons. The aim of this audit intended to evaluate current practice of PPls prescriptions against best practice international guidelines and suggest changes for improvement. Methods: 50 medical records were identified by simple random sampling from a total of 2,021 patient's health records who had been prescribed PPI during the audit period from 1st October to December 2019 and who were reviewed retrospectively based on the audit criteria. Results: Findings showed PPls were prescribed for justified indications in 24/50 (49%) health records. 26/50(51%) cases of PPls prescriptions were found for unjustified clinical indications. PPls doses for justified indications were also found suitable in 24/24 (100) health records. However, duration of prescribing Pls according to its specific indication were found suitable in 9/24 (37.5%) health records. PPls stop date was not documented in 41/50 (82%) health records but it was documented in 9/50 (18%) health records in West Bay Health Center, PHCC-Doha, Qatar Conclusion: The findings showed partial compliance to the best practice international guideline for prescribing PPls to patients for justified indications and in suitable doses, but low compliance was found regarding the duration of prescribing PPls specifically for various justified indications. Stop date of PPls was hardly documented in 18% of health records.
