Imbalances in the elderly

Abstract

The paper considers the main causes of imbalance in elderly patients. It gives data on the specific features of the course of the most common vestibular diseases in the elderly, such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, Meniere’s disease, stroke, and transient ischemic attack. At the same time the vestibular system-aging mechanisms that are able to induce disequilibrium are considered. Multisensory disequilibrium is discussed as the most common cause of instability in the elderly. Basic treatments for vestibular diseases in the elderly, including drug therapy and vestibular rehabilitation, are analyzed.

Keywords

• vertigo
• instability in the elderly
• meniere’s disease
• benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
• multisensory disequilibrium
• vestibular rehabilitation