Vertigo Flashcards

1
Q

What is dizziness?

A

A general, non-specific term to indicate a sense of disorientation

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2
Q

Is vertigo the same as dizziness?

A

No, vertigo is a type of dizziness

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3
Q

What is vertigo?

A

A false sensation that oneself or the surroundings are moving or spinning

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4
Q

What is vertigo usually accompanied by?

A
  • Nausea

- Loss of balance

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5
Q

What is vertigo the result of?

A

Mismatch between the vestibular, visual and somatosensory systems

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6
Q

What groups can the causes of vertigo be subdivided into?

A
  • Central (cerebral cortex, cerebellum and brainstem)

- Peripheral (vestibular labyrinth, semicircular canals or vestibular nerve)

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7
Q

What are the central causes of vertigo?

A
  • Cerebrovascular disease
  • Migraine
  • MS
  • Acoustic neuroma
  • Diplopia
  • Alcohol intoxication
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8
Q

What are the peripheral causes of vertigo?

A
  • Viral labyrinthitis
  • Vestibular neuritis
  • BPPV
  • Meniere’s disease
  • Motion sickness
  • Ototoxicitiy
  • Herpes zoster (Ramsay Hunt)
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9
Q

What drug can cause ototoxicity?

A

Gentamicin

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10
Q

What does BPPV stand for?

A

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

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11
Q

What are the risk factors for vertigo?

A
  • Older age

- Past episodes of dizziness

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12
Q

What sensation is experienced in vertigo?

A

Spinning whilst stationary

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13
Q

What other symptoms is vertigo commonly associated with?

A
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Unsteadiness
  • Falls
  • Changes to person’s thought
  • Difficulty walking
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14
Q

In what time frame can the symptoms of vertigo present?

A
  • Insidious (persistent)

- Sudden (episodic)

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15
Q

What investigations are performed in primary care for ?

A

Usually none

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16
Q

What investigatiosn can be performed for vertigo in secondary care?

A
  • Audiometry
  • Dix-Hallpike manoeuvre
  • Electronystagmography
  • CT or MRI
  • EEG
  • LP
  • Syphilis serology
17
Q

What is audiometry used for when testing for vertigo?

A

Assessing cochlear function

18
Q

What is Dix-Hallpike used for in assessing vertigo?

A

Testing for BPPV

19
Q

What can a CT or MRI be used to look for in a patient with vertigo?

A

Neurological causes

20
Q

Why may an EEG be useful in assessing a patient with vertigo?

A

To look for epilepsy

21
Q

What can an LP look for in a patient with vertigo?

A

MS

22
Q

What are the differentials for vertigo?

A
  • Postural hypotension
  • Pre-syncope
  • Non-specific dizziness
  • Disequilibrium
23
Q

What is disequilibrium?

A

When the brain receives inadequate information about the body’s position from the somatosensory, visual, and vestibular systems

24
Q

What can cause disequilibrium?

A
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Eye disease
  • Peripheral vestibular disorders
25
Q

What does the management of vertigo depend upon?

A

The underlying cause

26
Q

What general advice should be given to patients with vertigo?

A
  • Don’t drive when dizzy or if likely to be dizzy
  • Inform employer if dizziness makes work dangerous
  • Discuss risk of falling and discuss measures to reduce this
27
Q

What does the DVLA say with regards to vertigo?

A

People who are liable to sudden unprovoked attacks of disabling dizziness should stop driving

28
Q

What drugs could be useful in managing associated symptoms of vertigo?

A
  • Prochlorperazine

- Cyclizine

29
Q

What are the potential complications of vertigo?

A
  • Increased risk of falls
  • Confinement to home
  • Depression