Dizziness in aging: the clinical experience.

Dizziness and vertigo occur frequently in aging. Inner ear or nervous system pathology (central or peripheral) may be the cause. Other causes may also be cardiovascular disease, medication, leg pathology, psycho-pathologic processes (psychogenic dizziness), etc. In our Dizziness Clinic, 3427 patients 70 years of age or older were evaluated and an accurate diagnosis was possible in 76.25 percent of cases. Dizziness specific to aging was not identified, although at times dizziness was more serious than in younger patients due either to weakness because of aging or to more than one cause of dizziness. Thus dizziness and vertigo in aging have to be investigated carefully and similarly to other age groups. To this effect, the history, the clinical examination, and the follow-up are the most essential tools available to the practicing physician.