[Characteristics of the vestibulo-vascular interaction in patients with chronic hypertensive encephalopathy].

Vestibulo-vascular responses were investigated in 52 patients suffering from hypertensive encephalopathy and cochleovestibular disorders. All the patients underwent neurological and otoneurological examinations, tachooscillographic and vestibulometric measurements during optokinetic stimulation and air calorimetry (T-20 degrees C) as well as rotatory tests (V-45 degrees/S). In 35 patients, vestibular stimulation caused variations in vital hemodynamic parameters which led to characteristic changes during vestibulometry. In remaining 17 patients, vestibulo-vascular reactions were less variable; in these patients arterial hypertension was of secondary origin and mostly a manifestation of pathologic changes of great vessels. It is concluded that the type of vestibulo-vascular interaction should be taken into consideration when treating patients suffering from chronic hypertensive encephalopathy and cochleovestibular disorders.