title: Clonazepam in the pharmacological treatment of vertigo and tinnitus.
abstract: We carried out a retrospective survey of 25 years of clinical experience with the use of clonazepam as a vestibular and tinnitus suppressant in the pharmacological treatment of vestibular or cochleovestibular disorders due to different causes. We reviewed the medical records of 3,357 outpatients treated with a 0.5 or 1.0-mg daily dosage of oral clonazepam during 60-180 days. Complete or substantial control of vertigo or nonvertiginous dizziness was achieved in 77.4% of the vertigo patients. Tinnitus was improved in 32.0% of the tinnitus patients. Light or mild drowsiness, depression, nightmares, or lowering of libido, reported by 16.9% of the patients as adverse side effects, tended to subside with continued therapy. We concluded that clonazepam is a very useful and safe drug for the symptomatic treatment of patients suffering from cochleovestibular disorders.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurootology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Communicative Disorders, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil. mauricio.gananca@globo.com
authors.forename: Mauricio Malavasi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ganança
authors.forename: Heloisa Helena
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Caovilla
authors.forename: Fernando Freitas
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Ganança
authors.forename: Cristina Freitas
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Ganança
authors.forename: Mário Sérgio Lei
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Munhoz
authors.forename: Maria Leonor Garcia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Flávio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Serafini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002998:Clonazepam / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D018757:GABA Modulators / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014717:Vertigo / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D018757:GABA Modulators; D002998:Clonazepam