[Etiology and pathogenesis of sudden deafness]

163 patients suffering from sudden hearing loss were examined with regard to their cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, hyperlipaemia, cigarette smoking, hyperglycaemia, hyperuricaemia and obesity). Patients with sudden hearing loss had significantly more vascular risk factors than a healthy control group. Significantly more risk factors were also seen in patients where the hearing loss could not be influenced by therapy. We consider this an indication for the importance of vascular risk factors in the genesis of sudden hearing loss, especially in cases with infaust prognosis.