Proton Pump Inhibitors
The information below is intended as a reference only, and should not be taken as medical advice. If you have questions about your medications, consult your pharmacist, doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional.
Tapering Guidance
If used daily for more than 3-4 weeks:
- Reduce dose by 50% every 1 to 2 weeks. Once at 25% of the original dose and no withdrawal symptoms have been seen, stop the drug.
- If any withdrawal symptoms occur, go back to approximately 75% of the previously tolerated dose.
Withdrawal Symptoms and Monitoring Guidance
Return of symptoms, heartburn, reflux
Additional Information
The Deprescribing Guidelines for the Elderly project has developed an evidence-based guideline to support clinicians in safely reducing or stopping proton pump inhibitors, a class of drugs that reduce acid production in the stomach. The team has also developed a deprescribing algorithm to help clinicians decide when and how to reduce proton pump inhibitors safely and how to monitor effect:
Bruyere Research Institute
- Proton Pump Inhibitor evidence-based deprescribing guideline
- Proton Pump Inhibitor deprescribing algorithm [PDF]
- Whiteboard video on using the Proton Pump Inhibitor deprescribing algorithm (YouTube)
- Patient handout on Proton Pump Inhibitors [PDF]
- Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) Patient Decision Aid [PDF]