[The cochleovestibular syndrome in hypertension]

It was observed that in hypertension hearing is severely damaged. By analysis of the otological symptomatology in 50 hypertonic patients (42 women, 8 men) a bilateral hearing disorder was revealed in 47 subjects, a unilateral one in three subjects, otoscopy revealed dilatation of the artery supplying the handle of the malleus or even hyperaemia of Schrapnell's membrane. The patients reported low-frequency tinnitus, vertigo, pressure in the ears pain in the ears, headache, weather-dependence of complaints. In the initial stages roof-shaped type of audiometric curve was found, in the group were 45% mixed types of deafness. If during hypertension sodium is retained and the extracellular volume is enlarged, then in the inner ear the volume of perilymph increases in particular and this leads to impaired conduction through the inner ear fluids with affection of high and low frequencies, disorders of the conduction function of the fenestrae with the conduction component on the audiogram. Hypertension is for the organ of hearing an important risk factor in pre-disposed subjects with and affection of the inner ear is equally malignant and has a similar pathological background as glaucoma.