Pharmacotherapy for vertigo: a current perspective

Abstract

Vertigo is a symptom often encountered in routine clinical practice. Pharmacotherapy plays a vital role for treating the vertigo. Vestibular sedatives and drugs controlling nausea and vomiting constitute the important part of the pharmacotherapy for vertigo. Although there are several drugs available for controlling the vertigo, there are no definitive and universally accepted drugs available for treatment of vertigo. On the basis of the etiology, drugs with specific mechanism of action may be used to control this disabling symptom. Symptomatic treatment is often priority by many clinicians during the treatment of the vertigo. The pharmacological treatment of the vertigo is often decided after correct etiological evaluation of the symptom. Common drugs which are beneficial for treating vertigo are anticholinergics, antihistamines, benzodiazepines, calcium channel blockers and dopamine receptor antagonists. This review article exclusively focuses on pharmacotherapy of vertigo.