Table 1.
Patient characteristics of 417 dizzy older patients in primary care
| No. (%) of patients | |
|---|---|
| Sex, female | 307 (74) |
| Age in years, mean (range) | 78.5 (65-95) |
| Living situation | |
| Alone | 254 (61) |
| In residential home | 66 (16) |
| Ethnic background | |
| Dutch native | 342 (82) |
| Western immigrant | 31 (7) |
| Non-western immigrant | 44 (11) |
| Level of education | |
| Elementary school | 119 (29) |
| High school | 247 (59) |
| College/university | 51 (12) |
| Medical history | |
| Cardiovascular disease | 205 (49) |
| Hypertension | 239 (57) |
| Diabetes | 78 (19) |
| Neurologic disease | 145 (35) |
| Psychiatric disease | 142 (34) |
| Onset of dizziness | |
| <6 months | 128 (31) |
| ≥6 months | 289 (69) |
| Category of dizziness* | |
| Disequilibrium | 360 (86) |
| Presyncope | 302 (72) |
| Vertigo | 259 (62) |
| Atypical | 146 (42) |
*Adds up to more than 100%, because most patients described more than one subtype.