Continued improvements in vertigo have been observed throughout betahistine treatment, and at a range of doses, for periods lasting from 45 days up to 12 months [7,11–15]; therefore, a longer duration of betahistine treatment may be required for the maximal effect of betahistine to be observed.
Are there any long-term side effects? Betahistine is unlikely to do you any harm, even if you take it for a long time. It's generally a very safe medicine.
Your doctor may advise you to try betahistine for 6 to 12 months to see if it helps to reduce your symptoms. If it does, it can then be continued.
Do not stop taking this medicine suddenly, or change the dosage, without checking with your doctor. Do not use this medicine to treat any other complaints unless your doctor or pharmacist tells you to. Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Betahistine is a medicine used to treat the symptoms of Ménière's disease. These symptoms include: feeling dizzy and a spinning sensation (vertigo)
There is no permanent cure for vertigo, with or without medication. To treat vertigo successfully without medication, physical therapy techniques, chiropractic care, lifestyle changes, and even supplements are all positive steps toward reducing vertigo attacks.
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
Headache, occasional drowsiness, nausea, indigestion, mild gastric complaints such as vomiting, stomach pain and bloating. Taking Betahistine with food can help reduce any stomach problems.
Betahistine enters the CNS and improves histaminergic neurotransmission (12). Although several studies have reported subsequent improvements in cognitive function (12–16), they have shown conflicting findings on the effects of betahistine on cognition.
Taking further into account a good and slightly favorable safety profile, there is evidence that the fixed combination of cinnarizine/dimenhydrinate is a potent and even superior alternative to betahistine in the treatment of vertigo related to peripheral vestibular disorders.
Keep taking your tablets until your doctor tells you to stop. Even when you start feeling better, your doctor may want you to carry on taking the tablets for some time to make sure that the medicine has worked completely.
Betahistine comes as 8mg or 16mg tablets. The usual starting dose is 16mg, taken 3 times a day. Leave 6 to 8 hours between doses. When your symptoms are under control, your doctor may reduce your dose to 8mg, taken 3 times a day.
Increases in vestibular blood flow and decreases in blood pressure were observed in response to betahistine infusions.
Betahistine is indicated for treatment of Ménière's syndrome, symptoms of which may include vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss and nausea. Initial oral treatment is 8 to 16 mg three times daily, taken preferably with meals. Maintenance doses are generally in the range 24 - 48 mg daily.
You should not drink alcohol while being treated with this medicine, because there have been reported cases of interaction between this medicine with alcohol. Betahistine should not be taken during pregnancy or breast-feeding unless your doctor has decided that it is necessary.
Acute vertigo is best treated with nonspecific medication such as dimenhydrinate (Dramamine®) and meclizine (Bonine®).
While other balance disorders may also be prone to exercise-induced dizziness, with BPPV it's the constant change in head positions that will trigger dizziness. This is why dizzy patients often say that yoga, swimming, weightlifting, and even jogging are workouts they avoid altogether.
Therefore, an increase in histamine release or enhancement of histaminergic signal by betahistine by directly stimulating histamine receptors may inhibit the consumption of tasty foods and thus the development of obesity.
This type of dizziness is thought to originate in the inner ear balance organ or its connections to the brain. It is a commonly experienced symptom and can cause significant problems with carrying out normal activities. Betahistine is a drug that may work by improving blood flow to the inner ear.
Are there any side effects? Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you: skin irritations, stomach upsets, dizziness, fast heartbeat, headache and difficulty sleeping (insomnia). Stomach upsets can be overcome by taking BETAHISTINE VIATRIS during meals.
There are two main types of vertigo: Peripheral vertigo: This happens when there's a problem with the inner ear. Central vertigo: This occurs when there's an issue with the brain. Causes can include infection, brain tumors, traumatic brain injury or stroke.
Vertigo can be temporary or permanent, depending on the patient. Those who have suffered a head or neck injury might experience chronic or long-term vertigo. Treatment may be a combination of medications and physical therapy. Although very rare, your ENT specialist may choose to recommend surgery.
Vertigo will often go away by itself, but if it is severe or happens regularly then it's important to see a doctor. An ENT consultant will be able to find out why it is happening and recommend treatments to relieve or manage your symptoms. The best approach will depend on the cause of your vertigo.
Pharmacokinetics. Betahistine comes in both a tablet form as well as an oral solution, and is taken orally. It is rapidly and completely absorbed. The mean plasma elimination half-life is 3 to 4 hours, and excretion is virtually complete in the urine within 24 hours.
Betahistine is used to reduce the number of episodes of vertigo associated with Ménière's disease. It is believed to work by decreasing the pressure in the ear.
This medication may irritate the stomach, and should be taken with food. It is best to avoid coffee, spicy food or alcohol.