Current aspects of the treatment of different types of vertigo

Abstract

Dizziness is one of the most frequent complaints of patients in daily clinical practice. The prevalence of vertigo increases significantly in older patients. In most cases, vertigo is caused by pathology of the peripheral vestibular system: benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, vestibular neuronitis, Meniere’s disease. Episodes of recurrent vestibular vertigo without hearing loss can be associated with vestibular migraine, a diagnosis of which remains low in our country. Modern treatment regimens have been developed for patients with various causes of vertigo and unsteadiness. High effectiveness is achieved with a comprehensive approach to the management of patients with vertigo, which includes vestibular exercises, psychological training, and medications that help to reduce the severity and frequency of vertigo attacks and improve vestibular compensation. Many studies have shown high efficacy of the low-dose combination drug cinnarizine 20 mg + dimenhydrinate 40 mg for the treatment of peripheral and central vertigo, which is well tolerated and does not delay vestibular compensation. The efficacy of the low-dose combination drug cinnarizine + dimenhydrinate and betahistine dihydrochloride was compared in the treatment of patients with unilateral vestibular neuronitis, Meniere’s disease, and other diseases of the peripheral and central vestibular system. Studies have shown no less efficacy of the combined drug cinnarizine + dimenhydrinate in the treatment of Meniere’s disease than of betahistine, a more pronounced improvement in vestibular function in the treatment of vestibular neuronitis with the combined drug than with betahistine. For patients with peripheral vestibulopathy of various etiologies, treatment with the combination drug was more effective than therapy with betahistine.