[Differential diagnosis and treatment of vertigo in hypertensive patients].

AIM: To study causes of vertigo in hypertensive patients and specify approaches to its treatment. Material and methods. Prevalence and causes of vertigo were analysed in 285 patients with arterial hypertension (AH). The examination included 24-h monitoring of arterial pressure (APM) and MR-tomography of the head.

RESULTS

The majority of patients (78%) hospitalized with the diagnosis "hypertensive crisis" were diagnosed to have other diseases (headaches of tension, stroke, Meniere's syndrome and disease, etc.) the development of which was accompanied with hypertension and simulated a hypertensive crisis. Vertigo occurs in 20% hypertensive patients and is unrelated to elevated blood pressure. It is rather due to associated neurological, peripheral vestibular and other diseases. APM shows that vertigo occurs in hypotension after intake of hypotensive drugs. In hypertensive patients treatment of vertigo should not be directed only to management of elevated pressure but demands treatment of underlying disease. Vertigo plus mnestic disorders are effectively corrected with tanakan in a dose 120-160 mg/day.

CONCLUSION

Vertigo in hypertensive patients is not caused by elevated pressure but related with concomitant neurological or peripheral vestibular diseases as well as hypotension. Hypertensive patients with vertigo need correction of the condition causing it.