Carolyn Gaulke, is a family nurse practitioner at the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department at the Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Syracuse, NY. She is currently enrolled in the DNP program and wrote the article under the supervision of Dr. Paula Barbel, while enrolled in NUR 610 Professional Writing.
The article includes the 2022 updates from the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Gastroenterology Association to address the concern that up to 82% of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are not being prescribed in accordance with current evidence-based recommendations. This increases the risk for medication interactions and infections like Clostridioides difficile. The financial burden is also substantial. Over 12 billion dollars are spent on PPIs each year in the United States.