Table 1

Determinants of prescribing antivertiginous drugs by GPs for older patients with a new episode of non-vestibular dizziness

N (%)
VariablePrescription of AVD: yes (n = 151)Prescription of AVD: no (n = 1489)Univariate P-valueMultileve analysis OR (95% CI)
Age, years
 65-7482 (54.3)710 (47.7)0.121
 75-8456 (37.1)593 (39.8)0.512
 ≥8513(8.6)186 (12.5)0.164
 Female110 (72.8)945 (63.5)0.022
Presented dizziness symptom
 Dizziness95 (62.9)968 (65.0)0.607
 Spinning sensation52 (34.4)178 (12.0)<0.0013.6 (2.4 to 5.4)
 Near faint2 (1.3)183 (12.3)<0.0010.1 (0.04 to 0.5)
 Feeling unwell3 (2.0)115 (7.7)0.009
 Lightheadedness3 (2.0)75 (5.0)0.093
 Loss of equilibrium10 (6.6)35 (2.4)0.0023.7 (1.7 to 8.0)
 Unsteadiness5 (3.3)39 (2.6)0.616
 Tendency to fall4 (2.6)37 (2.5)0.902
 Instability1 (0.7)32 (2.1)0.215
 Giddy0 (0.0)32 (2.1)0.069
 Everything turning black0 (0.0)30 (2.0)0.078
  • AVD = antivertiginous drug. OR = odds ratio.