Trial Finds Ways to Cut Long-Term PPI Use
A randomized trial in primary care patients tested three strategies for tapering off proton pump inhibitors, with over 40% reducing use after one year.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Heart Disease
Live Poll
Would you be willing to try cutting back on long-term acid-reducing medication with your doctor's help?
Researchers tested three deprescribing strategies for long-term proton pump inhibitor use in 629 primary care patients who had no long-term indication for the drugs. At one year, 43.2% of patients achieved a prolonged successful therapeutic outcome, with comparable success rates across the three approaches.
Why it matters
Up to 82% of long-term PPI use lacks a valid medical indication, and abrupt discontinuation can trigger rebound acid hypersecretion and worse symptoms. The findings suggest structured tapering can help patients reduce unnecessary long-term use.
In a randomized trial of 629 primary care patients who had taken PPIs for a median of 9 years, 43.2% achieved prolonged success at one year with success rates comparable across the three deprescribing strategies. Greater baseline heartburn, postprandial distress, epigastric pain, and lower symptom-related quality of life were associated with lower likelihood of success.
The players
UEG Week
The annual conference of United European Gastroenterology, a leading European forum where gastroenterology research is presented and discussed.
The details
Patients were randomly assigned to on-demand PPI use, alginate substitution, or intermittent PPI use on a fixed schedule, and high-dose users first tapered to a maintenance dose over one month. After the initial month, all patients were asked to stop the PPI or alginate and were followed for one year, with antacids permitted as rescue treatment.
Timeline
Patients had taken PPIs for a median of 9 years before enrollment.
During the first month of the study, 92% of high-dose users successfully tapered to a maintenance dose.
Primary outcome success rates were measured one year after randomization.
Results were presented in 2026 at UEG Week in Barcelona, Spain.
Health Landscape
The study addresses long-term PPI use, a pattern that the trial data suggest often lacks a valid medical indication, and it adds to the evidence base on structured deprescribing. Its findings were shared at UEG Week 2026, the European gastroenterology conference where such clinical research is typically presented.
For people who have taken PPIs for years, the findings indicate that a structured taper can reduce use, though symptoms may return during the process. Patients considering stopping these medications should discuss a tapering plan with their clinician rather than stopping abruptly.
The takeaway
Reducing long-term PPI use may be achievable for many patients through structured tapering rather than abrupt discontinuation. Anyone on long-term acid-suppressing medication may benefit from asking a clinician whether an ongoing indication still exists.
Further reading
Explore more on Heart Disease for related context on cardiovascular and digestive health.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Medscape.
Live Poll
Would you be willing to try cutting back on long-term acid-reducing medication with your doctor's help?
