Lunney Calls for Responsible use of Dangerous Medication.
Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs): C difficile.

Nanaimo, B.C.: - Dr. James Lunney, Member of Parliament for Nanaimo-Alberni has issued a call for action from Health Canada regulators to tighten controls on commonly prescribed acid suppressing medications.
“There has been a growing body of evidence linking these medications to increased fractures, C. difficile and other hospital acquired infections,” said Lunney. C. difficile is linked to 10 deaths in Nanaimo Regional General Hospital since March and hundreds nationwide.

The May 10, 2010 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine published five articles related to this serious matter. An editorial entitled: “Failing the Acid Test: Benefits of Proton Pump Inhibitors may not justify the risks for many users” details the risks of acid suppressive drugs.

Proton Pump Inhibitors are a class of acid lowering medications; sales in Canada are estimated at $1.9 Billion per year.

According to the Journal:

“...a pharmacoepidemiological study of more than 1 million hospital

discharges ...demonstrates a dose responsive curve between level

of acid suppression and C. difficile infection.”

Compared to patients receiving no acid suppressive medication, the risk of C. difficile infection increased between 53 an 74% depending on the type of acid suppressant the dose and length of time on the medications.

The Journal further concludes that overprescription for inappropriate conditions ranged from 53-69%. Researchers, Cunningham and Dial writing in 2008 ask: “Is over use of Proton Pump Inhibitors fuelling the current epidemic of clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea?”

They state:

“gastric acid is a key host defence against other gastrointestinal

infections...we conclude that restricting PPI use to patients with an

appropriate indication would reduce unnecessary expenditures on

these agents, and might be an additional means of controlling the

current epidemic of CDAD.”

In a letter to the Dr. Martin Wale, Executive Medical Officer of VIHA, and copied to the Federal Minister of Health and top officials, Lunney states: “…all of this means it is time to act to reduce the risk of serious infection and to protect the public interest.”