title: Is tinnitus useful in early detection of incoming heart decompensation?
abstract: In previous studies the possibility of a mechanism of hemodynamic imbalance consequent to a sharp decrease in blood pressure causing a more or less transient inner ear impairment was evaluated and to some extent demonstrated. In this scenario, tinnitus is very frequently present as a debilitating symptom associated to cochlear impairment. On the other hand, a possible cause of a sharp decrease in blood pressure is represented by major cardiovascular disorders, requiring an early assessment in order to avoid fatal consequences. In this paper, the hypothesis of resorting to tinnitus as a simple warning method for self detecting a possibly incoming cardiovascular imbalance in patients with heart failure (HF) is advanced.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Bologna, Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti n. 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.forename: Giovanni Carlo
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Modugno
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brandolini
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pirodda
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D013997:Time Factors; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000503:physiopathology*