Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Online First
    • Multimedia
    • Collections
    • Past Issues
    • Articles by Subject
    • Articles by Type
    • Supplements
    • The Issue in Brief (Plain Language Summaries)
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Reviewers
    • Media
    • Job Seekers
  • About
    • Annals of Family Medicine
    • Editorial Staff & Boards
    • Sponsoring Organizations
    • Copyrights & Permissions
    • Announcements
  • Engage
    • Engage
    • e-Letters (Comments)
    • Subscribe
    • RSS
    • Email Alerts
    • Journal Club
  • Contact
    • Feedback
    • Contact Us
  • Careers

User menu

  • My alerts

Search

  • Advanced search
Annals of Family Medicine
  • My alerts
Annals of Family Medicine

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Online First
    • Multimedia
    • Collections
    • Past Issues
    • Articles by Subject
    • Articles by Type
    • Supplements
    • The Issue in Brief (Plain Language Summaries)
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Reviewers
    • Media
    • Job Seekers
  • About
    • Annals of Family Medicine
    • Editorial Staff & Boards
    • Sponsoring Organizations
    • Copyrights & Permissions
    • Announcements
  • Engage
    • Engage
    • e-Letters (Comments)
    • Subscribe
    • RSS
    • Email Alerts
    • Journal Club
  • Contact
    • Feedback
    • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • Follow annalsfm on Twitter
  • Visit annalsfm on Facebook
Research ArticleOriginal ResearchA

Causes of Persistent Dizziness in Elderly Patients in Primary Care

Otto R. Maarsingh, Jacquelien Dros, François G. Schellevis, Henk C. van Weert, Danielle A. van der Windt, Gerben ter Riet and Henriette E. van der Horst
The Annals of Family Medicine May 2010, 8 (3) 196-205; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.1116
Otto R. Maarsingh
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jacquelien Dros
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
François G. Schellevis
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Henk C. van Weert
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Danielle A. van der Windt
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Gerben ter Riet
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Henriette E. van der Horst
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • eLetters
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

PURPOSE Although dizzy patients are predominantly seen in primary care, most diagnostic studies on dizziness have been performed among patients in secondary or tertiary care. Our objective was to describe subtypes of dizziness in elderly patients in primary care and to assess contributory causes of dizziness.

METHODS We performed a cross-sectional diagnostic study among elderly patients in the Netherlands consulting their family physician for persistent dizziness. All patients underwent a comprehensive evaluation according to a set of diagnostic tests that were developed during an international Delphi procedure. Data for each patient were independently reviewed by a panel consisting of a family physician, a geriatrician, and a nursing home physician, which resulted in major and minor contributory causes of dizziness.

RESULTS From June 2006 to January 2008, we included 417 patients aged 65 to 95 years. Presyncope was the most common dizziness subtype (69%). Forty-four percent of the patients were assigned more than 1 dizziness subtype. Cardiovascular disease was considered to be the most common major contributory cause of dizziness (57%), followed by peripheral vestibular disease (14%), and psychiatric illness (10%). An adverse drug effect was considered to be the most common minor contributory cause of dizziness (23%). Sixty-two percent of the patients were assigned more than 1 contributory cause of dizziness.

CONCLUSIONS Contrary to most previous studies, cardiovascular disease was found to be the most common major cause of dizziness in elderly patients in primary care. In one-quarter of all patients an adverse drug effect was considered to be a contributory cause of dizziness, which is much higher than reported in previous studies.

  • Dizziness, diagnosis
  • primary care
  • family practice
  • elderly
  • Received for publication August 10, 2009.
  • Revision received November 24, 2009.
  • Accepted for publication December 3, 2009.
  • © 2010 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.
View Full Text
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

The Annals of Family Medicine: 8 (3)
The Annals of Family Medicine
Vol. 8, Issue 3
1 May 2010
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author
  • In Brief
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Annals of Family Medicine.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Causes of Persistent Dizziness in Elderly Patients in Primary Care
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Annals of Family Medicine
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Annals of Family Medicine web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
6 + 14 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.
Citation Tools
Causes of Persistent Dizziness in Elderly Patients in Primary Care
Otto R. Maarsingh, Jacquelien Dros, François G. Schellevis, Henk C. van Weert, Danielle A. van der Windt, Gerben ter Riet, Henriette E. van der Horst
The Annals of Family Medicine May 2010, 8 (3) 196-205; DOI: 10.1370/afm.1116

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Get Permissions
Share
Causes of Persistent Dizziness in Elderly Patients in Primary Care
Otto R. Maarsingh, Jacquelien Dros, François G. Schellevis, Henk C. van Weert, Danielle A. van der Windt, Gerben ter Riet, Henriette E. van der Horst
The Annals of Family Medicine May 2010, 8 (3) 196-205; DOI: 10.1370/afm.1116
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • INTRODUCTION
    • METHODS
    • RESULTS
    • DISCUSSION
    • Acknowledgments
    • Footnotes
    • REFERENCES
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • eLetters
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • Prognosis and Survival of Older Patients With Dizziness in Primary Care: A 10-Year Prospective Cohort Study
  • Working-age adults perspectives on living with persistent postural-perceptual dizziness: a qualitative exploratory study
  • Predicting an Unfavorable Course of Dizziness in Older Patients
  • Guided and unguided internet-based vestibular rehabilitation versus usual care for dizzy adults of 50 years and older: a protocol for a three-armed randomised trial
  • Authors reply to Seemungal and Bolland and colleagues
  • Effects of Nonpharmacological Interventions for Dizziness in Older People: Systematic Review
  • Looks vestibular: irrational prescribing of antivertiginous drugs for older dizzy patients in general practice
  • In This Issue: The Nourishment and Support of Family Medicine
  • Annals Journal Club: Causes of Dizziness in the Elderly
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Determining the Association Between Continuity of Primary Care and Acute Care Use in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study
  • Evaluation of an Electronic Consultation Service for COVID-19 Care
  • General Practitioners’ Perspectives on Appropriate Use of Ultrasonography in Primary Care in Denmark: A Multistage Mixed Methods Study
Show more Original Research

Similar Articles

Content

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Past Issues in Brief
  • Multimedia
  • Articles by Type
  • Articles by Subject
  • Multimedia
  • Supplements
  • Online First

Info for

  • Authors
  • Reviewers
  • Media
  • Job Seekers

Engage

  • E-mail Alerts
  • e-Letters (Comments)
  • RSS
  • Journal Club
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Subscribe
  • Family Medicine Careers

About

  • About Us
  • Editorial Board & Staff
  • Sponsoring Organizations
  • Copyrights & Permissions
  • Contact Us
  • eLetter/Comments Policy

© 2022 Annals of Family Medicine