DIZZINESS
SUMMARY
1. Refers to a misperception of spatial orientation.
2. It may refer to vertigo (the illusion of movement, especially rotation), disequilibrium or imbalance (feeling of reduced balance when standing or walking, but without vertigo, lightheadedness), lightheadedness, or near faintness.
3. If the patient can identify clear rotational sensation (patient is spinning or the room is spinning), the condition qualifies as vertigo, which implies a greater likelihood of a vestibular mechanism.
4. The quality-of-symptom approach to characterizing dizziness leads to many errors in diagnosis[1]
2. Kerber KA, Brown DL, Lisabeth LD, et al. Stroke among patients with dizziness, vertigo, and imbalance in the emergency department: a population-based study. Stroke 2006;37(10):2484Y2487. doi:10.1161/ 01.STR.0000240329.48263.0d.
3. Hanley K, O’Dowd T. Symptoms of vertigo in general practice: a prospective study of diagnosis. Br J Gen Pract 2002;52(483):809Y812.
[2][3].
5. Additional factors including triggers, duration, accompanying symptoms, and the findings on examination are also needed to narrow the range of possible causes.
Reference(s)
- ↑ Newman-Toker DE, Cannon LM, Stofferahn ME, et al. Imprecision in patient reports of dizziness symptom quality: a cross-sectional study conducted in an acute care setting. Mayo Clin Proc 2007;82(11):1329Y1340. doi:10.40.65/ 82.11.1329.
- ↑ Kerber KA, Brown DL, Lisabeth LD, et al. Stroke among patients with dizziness, vertigo, and imbalance in the emergency department: a population-based study. Stroke 2006;37(10):2484Y2487. doi:10.1161/ 01.STR.0000240329.48263.0d.
- ↑ Hanley K, O’Dowd T. Symptoms of vertigo in general practice: a prospective study of diagnosis. Br J Gen Pract 2002;52(483):809Y812.
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