Vestibular disorders in the elderly.

he incidence and prevalence of different types of dizziess and balance disorders that affect both genders in old ge are high, and even higher in the long-lived elderly. alance depends on many factors, including the adequate unction of sensory, vestibular, visual, and somatosensory tructures; muscle strength; joint mobility; and cognition. he sensory structures can be impaired by common diseases f aging, such as cardiovascular, metabolic, psychological, nd central nervous system disorders; retinopathy and/or iabetic neuropathy; cataracts; macular degeneration; and y senility of the peripheral and central vestibular system. he all-too-common aspects of self-medication, polypharacy, and sedentary lifestyle are aggravating or significant ausative factors. Vertigo, feelings of instability or imbalance (with r without the feeling of an imminent fall), light or eavy-headedness, fluctuation, and presyncope/syncope re common types of dizziness observed in old age, occurring lone or in combination. The definition of vertigo, previously n exclusive prerogative of rotary dizziness, was recently xpanded to include any dizziness associated with moveent of the patient or objects in the environment, even f they do not move. Dizziness-related falls are common nd can result in severe consequences, such as repeated oncussions and the dreaded hip fracture. The quality of ife of elderly patients with vestibular disorders is greatly mpaired by dizziness; the functional limitations brought on y the symptom usually result in significant physical and psyhological problems, as well as the incapacity to perform he activities of daily living and work to a greater or lesser egree. Constant acute or positional vertigo and chronic vertigo an be a result of either central or peripheral vestibular isorders. In the elderly, peripheral vestibular disorders are uch more common than central ones. In addition to otoogical and neurological origins, metabolic disorders such