J Korean Bal Soc.  2003 Dec;2(2):206-210.

Clinical Analysis of the Dizzy Patients in a Department of Emergency Medicine

• Han GC
• Lee EJ
• Ha JS
• Kim DK

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The patient presenting to the emergency department with the complaint of dizziness is one of the most common as well as most challenging problems confronting the emergency physician today. Dizziness is a vague symptom of disease ranging from serious to benign. The differential diagnosis and proper management of dizziness in a department of emergency medicine are the most important things. We undertook this study to evaluate the character and clinical analysis of the dizzy patients and to discuss the significance and necessity of primary care in a department of emergency medicine. MATERIALS AND METHOD: From September 1999 to October 2003, we sampled the 1,371 dizzy patients who visited the Emergency Department(ED). Of these patients, the 650 patients performed electronystagmography(ENG) and rotatory chair test were selected, except for the patients with loss of consciousness, known psychiatric disease or direct brain injury.
RESULTS
The 650 patients were attributed to acute peripheral vestibulopathy in 88.5% (575 patients) of patients, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in 9.5% (62 patients) of patients, central origin in 1.4% (9 patients) of patients, other organic origin in 0.6% (4 patients) of patients. In a retrospective analysis of patients with central origin, the symptoms estimated at central origin, for example, persistent headache, were found.
CONCLUSION
The exact diagnosis and management for the dizzy patients in a department of emergency medicine require the primary physician's concern and understanding for dizziness.

Keyword

Dizziness; Acute vertigo; Emergency department

MeSH Terms

Brain Injuries
Diagnosis
Diagnosis, Differential
Dizziness
Emergencies*
Emergency Medicine*
Emergency Service, Hospital
Headache
Humans
Primary Health Care
Retrospective Studies
Unconsciousness
Vertigo
Vestibular Neuronitis