Transcript Slide 1

Dr Manj Tawana
Tuesday 27 May 2014
This afternoon:
 Introductions (1.30 – 1.40pm)
 Learning objectives (1.40 – 1.50pm)
 Small group work and re-convene (1.50 – 2.50pm)
 Break (2.50 – 3.10pm)
 Presentation (3.10 – 3.30pm)
 Quick quiz, finish-up, anything else? (3.30 – 4.00pm)
Learning Objectives (SMART):
 Group.
 Individual.
 Outside scope for today? Further learning?
 Resources.
10 mins
Group work:
 Elderly patient walks into your GP consulting room....
 “Doctor I’ve been getting dizzy spells.”
 10 minute consultation with patient.
 Assessment? (history, examination, tests,
management, ?referral).
 Differentials?
30 mins
Group work:
 Present back....
30 mins
Dizziness
 Non-specific term: sensation of altered orientation in
space.
 Vertigo: hallucination of rotation or movement of
one's self or one's surroundings.
 Dizziness is of little diagnostic value without trying to
elaborate further information.
 If there is loss of consciousness then this defines the
term syncope.
 Suggested that there are four types of dizziness.
Dizziness
 Vertigo
 commonest type – more than 50% of cases of dizziness in
primary care.
 may be described as an illusion of movement (i.e., a false
sense of motion).
 it is frequently horizontal and rotatory.
 illusion of rotation may be of one's self or one's surroundings
 may be associated with nausea, emesis, and diaphoresis.
 cause may be central or peripheral.
 when associated with nausea and vomiting, should look for a
peripheral rather than central cause
 most cases can be diagnosed clinically and managed in the
primary care setting.
Dizziness
 Lightheadedness



this is non-specific.
sometimes difficult to diagnose .
may be associated with panic attacks.
 Presyncope

is due to cardiovascular conditions that reduce cerebral blood
flow.
 Dysequilibrium


feeling of unsteadiness and instability.
causes include: peripheral neuropathy, eye disease, peripheral
vestibular disorders.
Dizziness
 in addition the following conditions too may present
with dizziness...
 psychiatric disorders
 seizure disorders
 motion sickness
 otitis media
 cerumen impaction
Dizziness
Multisystem failure – esp. elderly patients.
Polypharmacy
Poor eyesight
Cardiac problems
Cerebrovascular disease
BPPV
Burnt out meniere’s
Vestibular failure
Incomplete central compensation
Peripheral neuropathies
Muscle weakness
Arthritic joints
History – essential!

Vertigo
 do you get the feeling of rotation?
 do the surroundings spin around?
 is there a tendency to fall to one side?

Dysequilibrium
 are you having a feeling of unsteadiness?

Presyncope
 do you feel faintish?

Lightheadedness
 do you feel lightheaded?
History
 onset and duration of the symptoms:





Few seconds:
 peripheral causes: unilateral loss of vestibular function, acute
vestibular neuronitis, Meniere's disease.
Several seconds to a few minutes:
 BPPV.
Several minutes to one hour:
 TIA.
Several hours:
 Meniere's disease, migraine, acoustic neuroma.
Days:
 early acute vestibular neuronitis, CVA, migraine, MS.
History
 precipitating factors:
 spontaneous episodes

acute vestibular neuronitis, cerebrovascular disease, Meniere's
disease, migraine, MS.
 changes in position of the head

acute labyrinthitis, BPPV, cerebellopontine angle tumour, MS.
 standing up

postural hypotension.
History
 associated symptoms, including:
 deafness.
 tinnitus.
 otalgia .
 a feeling of fullness in the ear.
 discharge from the ear.
 neurological symptoms.
 any other medical problems:
 vascular disease.
 MS.
 drug history, esp. ototoxic drugs.
 cardiac disease, esp. arrhythmias.
Examination – history driven
 History driven, may be normal at time of seeing patient!
 Neurological: CNs, cerebellar (finger-nose) , Dix-
Hallpike.
 Head and neck: carotids (neck bruits), arthritic C-spine
(abnormal proprioceptive signals), TMs.
 Cardiovascular system: pulse, BP, carotids, arrhythmias.
Treatments...
 Consider:
 Labyrinthitis:
 BPPV:
 Meniere’s disease:
 Acoustic neuroma:
 Vert. insufficiency:
Prochlorperazine.
Epley manoeuvre, Brandt-Daroff
exercises, prochlorperazine.
Betahistine, prochlorperazine,
?refer.
Refer.
Modify risk factors – BP,
smoking, aspirin, statin?
BMJ Learning – Falls Quiz.
 Individually, pairs.
 Pre-test.
 Post-test.
Finish-up, anything else?
 Learning objectives?
 Further learning?
 Resources?
Thank you!
Good luck!