Dizziness

What Is Cardiac-Related Dizziness?

Dizziness is extremely common - studies suggest more than one in five people report dizziness in the past month [1] - and most causes are not cardiac. From a cardiac perspective, it tends to arise when the heart is briefly unable to maintain adequate blood pressure or output, reducing blood flow to the brain. This is usually felt as light-headedness or faintness rather than vertigo (a spinning sensation, usually from an inner-ear problem).

When Should You Seek Assessment for Dizziness?

Call 999 immediately if your dizziness comes on with:

• Chest pain or palpitations
• Loss of consciousness or collapse
• Sudden facial drooping, arm weakness, or slurred or difficult speech - possible signs of a stroke; act FAST
• A severe or sudden-onset headache

LivingCare is a specialist outpatient service and is not an emergency care facility. If your symptoms are sudden or severe, call 999.

For dizziness that is not an emergency, consider booking a private cardiology assessment if it:

• Comes with a fast, slow or irregular heartbeat
• Happens when you stand up from sitting or lying (postural dizziness)
• Is accompanied by breathlessness, fatigue or chest discomfort
• Has occurred alongside a blackout or near-blackout
• Is new, recurrent, or has not yet been explained

How Cardiac-Related Dizziness Is Assessed

Our cardiologists begin with a thorough history and examination, then arrange only the tests you need. These may include an ECG to record your heart's rhythm, ambulatory ECG monitoring worn over 24 hours to several days to catch intermittent rhythm problems, 24-hour blood pressure monitoring to check for drops on standing, and an echocardiogram to assess the heart's structure and function. You can see the full range of tests on our cardiology department page.

What Might Be Causing My Dizziness?

Common cardiac causes include:

• Postural (orthostatic) hypotension - a drop in blood pressure on standing [2]
• Arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, heart block or supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
• Heart failure
• Heart valve disease
• Side effects of blood-pressure (antihypertensive) medication

Many causes are not cardiac and may need a different specialist:

• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), the most common inner-ear cause
• Vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis
• Neurological conditions
• Anxiety or hyperventilation

A cardiology assessment helps establish whether your dizziness has a cardiac cause and, if not, points you toward the right next step. It sits alongside our related pages on blackouts and palpitations, which can occur together with dizziness. To have your symptoms looked at, you can book a private cardiology assessment at our Leeds or Sheffield clinic.

References

1. Yardley L et al. - Prevalence and presentation of dizziness in a general practice community sample of working age people, British Journal of General Practice
2. NHS - Dizziness