treatment

Last reviewed 01/2018

  • the symptoms of an acute vestibular episode can be treated with:
    • an anti-emetic (e.g. prochlorperazine, promethazine, cyclizine) or
    • vestibular sedatives (e.g. the calcium channel antagonist cinnarizine, the histamine analogue betahistine) during the first days of the illness (1)
      • often treatment with an anti-emetic is essential e.g. prochlorperazine either by suppository, intramuscularly or buccal absorption (2)
        • it is then possible for a vestibular sedative to be administered e.g. cinnarize 15 mg tds - in elderly patients this dose should be adjusted to minimise sedation.

Reference:

  • (1) Pagarkar W, Davies R. Dizziness. Medicine 2004; 32 (9): 18-23.
  • (2) Prescribers' Journal 1998; 38(2): 87-97.