Management of Acute Dizziness and Vertigo

Event Notes:

This one-day masterclass delivered by faculty experts will equip you with practical, evidence-based knowledge and skills that will allow you to confidently diagnose and treat patients with acute vertigo. By demystifying this common yet often misunderstood presentation, the aim is that you become vertigo ‘competent’, allowing you to deliver improved patient care in both primary care and emergency settings. St George’s Hospital has one of the largest audio-vestibular departments and one of the first dedicated Neuro-otology and Acute vertigo services set up in the country. The course will be presented through interactive case-based lectures, with an emphasis on video vignettes to aid in the detection and interpretation of clinical signs. Attendants of the course will also participate in hands-on practical workshops on the bedside examination of acute vertigo (HINTS+ and BPPV assessment and treatment).

Audience

The course is designed for healthcare professionals who manage patients with vertigo and dizziness. It is suitable for GP’s, emergency practitioners, general practitioners, care of the elderly, stroke physicians, neurologists and allied health professionals.

Course description

After attending the course, it is aimed that the learners will develop a framework on how to diagnose and treat common acute vertigo conditions which includes:

• Approach to history taking and differential diagnosis of patients presenting with dizziness/vertigo.
• Diagnostic approach to the acute vestibular syndrome, using the HINTS+ test to distinguish central (stroke) from peripheral (inner ear conditions) diagnoses.
• Diagnosis and management of episodic vestibular syndromes with a focus on the positional manoeuvres
• Repositioning procedures for treatment of BPPV
• Diagnostic approach to patients presenting with vestibular migraine
• Management of patients with acute unsteadiness / gait disturbance
• Recognition and management of other common causes of acute vertigo/dizziness.

Attendees will be expected to demonstrate the clinical skills learnt in the practical workshop to the faculty and participate in electronic voting to provide feedback on audience knowledge and confidence.  You will be provided a certificate of attendance and CPD will be sought from the Royal College of Physicians.