title: Identifying drugs that cause dizziness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present an alternative technique for identification side effects of drugs.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Drugs are commonly thought to cause dizziness but traditional methods of associating drugs with the symptom may be insensitive. A "reverse" method of identifying associations between dizziness and drugs is illustrated. The technique could be generally applied to other side effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medication use was recorded for one hundred two patients who presented with dizziness. After dividing the medications into pharmaceutical categories the percent of dizzy patients taking the drugs was contrasted with the percent of the population as a whole taking the same categories based on a large national drug database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors were more likely to be associated with dizziness than other medications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reverse association method outlined may be helpful in identifying medications and side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba. bblakley@exchange.hsc.mb.ca
authors.forename: Brian W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Blakley
authors.forename: Harleena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gulati
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects; D004244:Dizziness / Q000139:chemically induced*; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors