Medications that may cause light-headedness or vertigo
Many prescription and nonprescription medications can cause light-headedness or vertigo. The degree of light-headedness or vertigo caused by a specific medication will vary.
Some medications are more likely to cause light-headedness, such as:
- Anti-anxiety medications, such as Librium, Valium, or Xanax.
- Antihistamines, such as Benadryl or Chlor-Tripolon.
- Diuretics, such as hydrochlorothiazide, Lasix, or spironolactone.
- Blood pressure medications (antihypertensives), such as Aldomet, Inderal, Lopressor, verapamil, Catapres, or reserpine.
- Medications used to treat anxiety, such as Librium, Valium, or Xanax.
- Medications used to treat seizure disorders, such as Dilantin or Tegretol.
- Pain medications, such as hydrocodone, morphine, Darvon, or codeine.
- Selective serotonin inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Prozac and Zoloft.
- Serotonin receptor agonists (triptans), such as sumatriptan succinate (Imitrex), almotriptan malate (Axert), or rizatriptan (Maxalt).
- Steroids, such as prednisone, methylprednisolone, or dexamethasone.
- Tricyclic antidepressants, such as Elavil or Tofranil.
Some medications can cause damage to the inner ear (ototoxic), which can affect balance and hearing and cause vertigo. The most commonly prescribed medications that can damage the inner ear are antibiotics, such as:
- Streptomycin, which primarily affects balance.
- Neomycin and kanamycin, which can cause hearing loss.
- Gentamicin and tobramycin, which can affect balance and hearing but are more likely to affect balance.
If you think a prescription or nonprescription medication may be causing your light-headedness or vertigo, call your health professional.
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: April 17, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Colin Chalk, MD, CM, FRCPC - Neurology | |
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