Evaluation of Vertigo and dizziness and effectzcy of doppler ultrasonography in it's management

Vertigo and dizziness is prevalent in all countries and many patients are referred to physician offices or emergency departments for this problem annually. These symptoms make a lot of distress for patients. Grossly vertigo is separated to peripheral and central and this division is clinically very important. Evaluation of vascular problem in vertigo is very important and Doppler ultrasonography is used widely. This study is a retrograde study with use of files recorded in Mustafa Khomeini hospital Emergency or neurology department in a three years duration. Patients selected according to their chief complaint at the time of admission to the hospital.patients with complaint of dizziness, vertigo, ataxia and imbalance were selected. And data in relation of their symptoms,risk factors and demographic information registered separately for each patient There were 332 patients recorded in a three years period. there were 179(54%) female and 153(46%) male patients.chief complaint in 183(55%)were dizziness and 101 (30%)had vertigo and 48(15%) had complaint of ataxia and imbalance.stroke was seen in 53(16%) of patients.among patients without stroke most common diagnosis were labyrinthitis 53(19%),BPPV 89(32%)and metabolic and electrolyte imbalances 137(49%). Doppler ultrasonography showed abnormal finding in only two patients with stroke and was normal in patients with another diagnosis. This study shows us that peripheral vertigo is more prevalent than central types. there is many misdiagnoses in relation with differentiation of these two types of vertigo that is a warning for better education in medical courses in university. Doppler ultrasonography of Vertebrobasilar system is recommended only in central problem and it is not necessary for all patients and also it is not helpful in differentiation of central and peripheral problems.