Document Type : Review Articles

Authors

• Mahsa Bakhit ¹
• Mehdi Akbari ²
• Maryam Delphi ³

¹ Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Audiology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

² Audiology Department, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

³ . Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Audiology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz,Iran & PhD student at the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Vertigo, disequilibrium and the consecutive falls in geriatrics have always been one of the major challenges that both patients and medical staffs encounter, and in comparison to the rest of adult age groups, in the elderly, numerous factors make the diagnosis and treatment processes rather difficult. Once left unattended, the underlying etiologies of geriatrics vertigo not only can pose a threat to the patients' safety, and lead to physical impairments, but also might result in psychological consequences like isolation from society. In this review article we intend to investigate the key points regarding the geriatrics vertigo. Materials and Methods: The online databases including Pubmed, Google Scholar, Cochrane and Science Direct were searched using the key words: Geriatrics, Elderly, Older people, Imbalance, Disequilibrium, Vertigo and all the papers between 1972 and 2013 were selected. Results: A total number of 218 original articles and 30 review articles were found. The titles, abstracts and conclusions were studied. Eventually, 45 articles with the intended context were selected. Conclusion: The recent increases in the elderly population and their physical impairments have resulted in a soar in vertigo and disequilibrium among these patients. By the age of 75, dizziness is the first reason for which elderly pay visits to medical centers and 80% of patients older than 75 years old complain of vertigo and dizziness. Plenty of central and arterial lesions in the elderly have clinical manifestations which resemble symptoms of benign peripheral vestibular dysfunctions, and result in difficulty in diagnosis of the disease. Furthermore, rehabilitative treatments in this age group might be delayed due to concomitant neural and muscular impairments. In the elderly, the clinical presentations and nystagmus characteristics are the most critical findings that can play a significant role in differentiating peripheral and central vertigoes.   Keywords: Geriatrics, Vertigo, Falls, Histopathology, Central, Peripheral