A prospective evaluation of prescribing pattern of vertigo patients in a tertiary care teaching hospital

Abstract

Vertigo, defined as an erroneous sense of motion and unsteadiness, is a relatively common condition, yet definitions vary and management guidelines are often contradictory. Pharmacotherapy can be divided into symptomatic and casual or into treatment of incidental and chronic vertigo. Betahistine is commonly used in the management of vestibular disorders. Dose distinguished study primarily aids in the determination of indication of the doses of the drug, as well as the required duration of therapy. The aim was to evaluate the prescribing pattern of vertigo patients in a tertiary care teaching hospital. A prospective observational study was conducted in Department of General Medicine and Department of ENT of Karuna Medical College Hospital, Chittur, Palakkad for a period of 6 months in a population of 92 patients. In the selected study population of 92 patients the prescribing pattern was like; betahistine mono therapy was found to be used in 86(93.48%) patients. Followed by betahistine+ cinnarazine combination therapy in 3 patients (3.26%). Prochlorperazine mono therapy was observed in 2 patients (2.17%) and betahistine+ prochlorperazine was observed in 1 patient (1.09%). Betahistine is the drug of choice in most cases of vertigo irrespective of category with most commonly prescribed dose of 8mg twice daily (45.56%) followed by 16 mg twice daily(25.56%).