Inpatient Evaluation of Dizziness and Vertigo
摘要
Given the high prevalence of dizziness and vertigo complaints that lead to admission for workup, inpatient evaluation and management remain an important opportunity to the dizzy patient. The clinician should prioritize ruling out reversible, life-threatening causes with appropriate screening tools built into their algorithm. Then, the clinician can focus on collecting and synthesizing information from the patient to arrive at the correct diagnosis. Audiometric and vestibular testing capabilities are usually limited in the inpatient setting, which makes direct patient evaluation by the clinician even more crucial. This is founded on a sound understanding of vestibular physiology and the ability to interpret relevant physical exam findings. Finally, recognizing the multidisciplinary nature of dizziness evaluation can facilitate care of these typically complex patients. This chapter focuses on a tailored, stepwise approach to evaluating inpatient consultation of dizziness and vertigo.