Comparison of the effectiveness of intravenous piracetam and intravenous dimenhydrinate in the treatment of acute peripheral vertigo in the emergency department.

Introduction: We aimed to compare the effectiveness of intravenous piracetam with that of intravenous dimenhydrinate in the treatment of acute peripheral vertigo in the emergency department.

Methods: This double-blind study comprised a total of 200 patients, aged between 18 and 70 years, who had presented to the emergency department of Ankara Training and Research Hospital and were diagnosed with peripheral vertigo. Evaluation of the severity of the patients' vertigo was performed using a visual analogue scale, before and after drug administration.

Results: Both drugs were found to be effective (p < 0.001) and had comparable effects (p < 0.474). Dimenhydrinate was also found to have about two times the side effects of piracetam. Drowsiness was found to be the most common side effect of these two drugs.

Conclusion: Dimenhydrinate and piracetam have similar levels of effectiveness with regard to acute vertigo. We conclude that piracetam, which has fewer side effects than dimenhydrinate, better vestibular compensation, and is effective for both acute and chronic vertigo, could be more frequently used in the emergency treatment of acute vertigo.