Utilization trends of Proton Pump Inhibitors in South Korea: Analysis using 2016-2020 Healthcare Bigdata Hub by Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service

Abstract

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) are drugs that inhibit gastric acid secretion and are widely used globally. With the aging population and the rising prevalence of gastrointestinal diseases in Korea, the number of patients using PPIs is increasing. Therefore, we investigated the current state of PPI utilization at the national level using the nationwide database, Healthcare Bigdata Hub compiled by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA). We extracted the statistics from 2016 to 2020 and re-organized them into monthly utilization by treatments. The cost and volume of use by region, provider type, and diagnostic code were extracted for five PPIs: pantoprazole, rabeprazole, omeprazole, esomeprazole, and lansoprazole. The volume of use was converted into Defined Daily Dose (DDD), which is the standardized unit of utilization. Esomeprazole and rabeprazole were the most commonly used PPIs, and esomeprazole has shown a sharp increase recently. The crude utilization of each region was the highest in Seoul, but that in Daegu and Jeonbuk was the highest after adjusting for the population size. The utilization of PPIs has increased in all diagnostic codes, and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) accounts for the highest proportion. Despite emerging concerns on the adverse outcomes of long-term PPI utilization, their consumption has increased in recent years. These results on the variations by region and trends by diagnostic code thus address a good basis for future research and policies regarding PPIs.