Assessment of Awareness and Knowledge of Proton Pump Inhibitors Among the General Population in Lahore, Pakistan

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are used for various conditions and are generally considered safe drugs; however, there has been a surge in their usage over time, partially related to their safety and overprescription. Purpose: This study is aimed to assess how much the public of Lahore knows about PPI, and how they use it, and if they follow their physician’s instructions or not. Methods: A cross-sectional study was planned to attain the objective of the study. Respondents visiting various community pharmacies were inquired about their willingness to participate in this study. Chi-square was used to find the association between sociodemographic parameters and awareness of PPIs. p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There were mostly university students (73.7%), with 82.2% having heard of PPIs. Prevalent use (86.85%) is observed, often after a medical condition. Notably, 60.1% use PPIs as needed, but only 52.3% complete the prescribed course. PPIs were taken before meals only by 69.3% of participants. Associations exist between having heard of PPIs, and age with younger participants (p < 0.001) exhibiting less awareness. Females also have heard lesser of PPIs (p = 0.011). Education correlates with unawareness (p < 0.001), and many participants are unaware of PPI side effects (51.04%). Conclusion: The study contributes valuable insights to the understanding of PPI usage perspectives, offering implications for healthcare practices and public health awareness campaigns. Overall, the public shows signs of awareness but those are not enough to eliminate the misuse of PPIs in Lahore.