Betahistine or Cinnarizine for treatment of Meniere's disease

Meniere's disease is a condition with sudden attacks of vertigo with nausea and vomiting accompanied by loss of hearing and buzzing sensation in the ears, most commonly unilateral. The exact cause of the disease is unknown. Betahistine is the analogue of histamine with weaker agonistic effect on histamine H1 receptors and stronger effect on histamine H3 receptors, while Cinnarizine has more effective effect on H1 receptors.

The aim is to determine which drug is more effective in the treatment of Meniere's disease Betahistine or Cinnarizine.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of Betahistine in 37 patients with the Meniere's syndrome accompanied by classic triad of symptoms treated in hospital conditions and Cinnarizine effect in 36 patients with a less severe clinical picture, which were treated as outpatients. To all patients were conducted laboratory tests, brain CAT (to exclude possible expansive process, MS or stroke) and TCD in order to eliminate any possible circulatory disturbances in VB basin. Group with classic Meniere's syndrome was treated at a dose of Betahistine of 3 x 16 mg and followed 8 weeks, while the second group was treated with Cinnarizine at a dose of 2 x 75 mg and also followed for 8 weeks.

Already after one month of therapy was noticed better effect in case of Betahistine in terms of symptoms reduction compared to the Cinnarizine effect.