Vertigo/dizziness as a Drugs’ adverse reaction
Serafina Chimirri1, Rossana Aiello2, Carmela Mazzitello2, Laura Mumoli2, Caterina Palleria2, Mariolina Altomonte2, Rita Citraro2, Giovambattista Sarro2★★ Corresponding author
- 1Department of Science of Health, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro, Italy and Pharmacovigilance’s Center Calabria Region, University Hospital Mater Domini, Catanzaro, Italy.
- 2Pharmacy Unit, Bianco-Melacrino-Morelli Hospital, Reggio Calabria, Italy.
CORRESPONDENCE
Giovambattista Sarro
Giovambattista De Sarro,Pharmacy Unit, Bianco-Melacrino-Morelli Hospital, Reggio Calabria, Italy.
Volume 4, Issue 4S · pp. S104–S105 · PUBLISHED 2013 · DOI: 10.4103/0976-500X.120969
View on J Pharmacol. Pharmacother. original site ↗
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Vertigo, dizziness, and nausea encompass a spectrum of balance-related symptoms caused by a variety of etiologies. Balance is affected by many systems: Proprioceptive pathways and visual, cerebellar, vestibulocochlear, and vascular / vasovagal systems. Vertigo is a subtype of dizziness, in which a subject, as a result to a dysfunction of the vestibular system, improperly experiments the perception of motion. The most useful clinical subdivision is to categorize vertigo into true vertigo and pseudovertigo, whereas from a pathophysiological point of view, vertigo can be classified into central, peripheral, and psychogenic. It is not easy to identify the cause of vertigo since the patients often are not able to precisely describe their symptoms. An impressive list of drugs may cause vertigo or dizziness. Materials and Methods: The aim of the present study was to analyze the data extracted from the reporting cards of the ADRs (adverse drug reactions), received at our Pharmacovigilance Regional Center (Calabria, Italy) in 2012. In particular, the data concerning the occurrence of vertigo and dizziness, after taking certain classes of drugs, have been considered. Results: Our results show that, among the side-effects of different classes of drugs such as anti-convulsants, anti-hypertensives, antibiotics, anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, and anti-inflammatory, also vertigo or dizziness are included. Conclusions: Spontaneous reports of vertigo or dizziness, as side-effect of certain drugs, received at our Pharmacovigilance Center, represented the 5% of all reports in 2012. Considering the high incidence of such an ADR for several drugs’ classes, it can be speculated that under-reporting also affect vertigo and dizziness. Despite the fact that these ADRs might not represent a direct threaten for life, indirectly they can cause secondary damage to patients such as falls, fractures etc. Balance should be accurately monitored during drug use and particularly in fragile patients.
KEYWORDS
REFERENCES
As publishedShowing references and in-text citations exactly as published.
Cite this article
SELECT FORMAT
Chimirri, S., Aiello, R., Mazzitello, C., Mumoli, L., Palleria, C., Altomonte, M., Citraro, R., & Sarro, G. (2013). Vertigo/dizziness as a Drugs’ adverse reaction. Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics, 4(4S), S104–S105. https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-500X.120969