EVALUATION OF THE FINAL DIAGNOSIS OF ELDERLY PATIENTS ADMITTED TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WITH A COMPLAINT OF VERTIGO

Abstract

Introduction: We aimed to evaluate the approach and final diagnosis of elderly patients admitted to the emergency department with a complaint of vertigo. Materials and Method: The data extracted from the hospital database were analyzed for 5,473 patients, aged over 60 years, who presented at the emergency department between January 2012 and March 2014, with complaints of dizziness-vertigo. Of these, 2,963 (54%) were females and 2,510 (46%) were males, with a mean age of 71.4 years (range, 60-96 years). We evaluated the additional diagnoses, radiological examinations and treatments received by hospitalized patients. Results: We identified three major findings. Majority of the patients with vertigo were discharged for outpatient treatment. Life-threatening central pathologies were detected in 4.1% of patients with vertigo and although majority of the emergency room visits for vertigo in the elderly population were caused by peripheral vestibular disorders, hypertension and cerebrovascular events were equally prevalent. Conclusion: Among the elderly population, assessing all cases of acute vertigo as presentations of peripheral vestibular deficiency can lead to missed diagnosis, including dehydration and hypotension, which are readily treated as well as serious central pathologies that require further investigation.