BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO

Course overview

VERTIGO IS THE PERCEPTION OF MOTION IN THE ABSENCE OF MOTION, WHICH MAY BE DESCRIBED AS A SENSATION OF SWAYING, TILTING, SPINNING, OR FEELING UNBALANCED. DUE TO HIGHLY VARIABLE DESCRIPTIONS OF VERTIGO, IT IS OFTEN CONSOLIDATED INTO THE UMBRELLA DESCRIPTOR 'DIZZINESS', A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT THAT ACCOUNTS FOR OVER THREE MILLION EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS ANNUALLY. VERTIGO CAN BE OF VESTIBULAR OR PERIPHERAL ORIGIN OR BE DUE TO NON-VESTIBULAR OR CENTRAL CAUSES. BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO (BPPV) IS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF PERIPHERAL VERTIGO, ACCOUNTING FOR OVER HALF OF ALL CASES. IT IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO DISTINGUISH BPPV FROM OTHER CAUSES OF VERTIGO AS THE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS INCLUDES A SPECTRUM OF DISEASE PROCESSES RANGING FROM BENIGN TO LIFE-THREATENING. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.