Betahistine

Betahistine, sold under the brand name Serc among others, is an anti-vertigo medication. It is commonly prescribed for balance disorders or to alleviate vertigo symptoms, e.g. those associated with Ménière's disease. It was first registered in Europe in 1970 for the treatment of Ménière's disease. Betahistine, sold under the brand name Serc among others, is an anti-vertigo medication. It is commonly prescribed for balance disorders or to alleviate vertigo symptoms, e.g. those associated with Ménière's disease. It was first registered in Europe in 1970 for the treatment of Ménière's disease. Betahistine is used in the treatment of Ménière's disease and vertigo. The supporting evidence for the efficacy of betahistine for Ménière's disease is of poor quality. A 2011 Cochrane review of seven trials consisting of 243 patients with Ménière's disease concluded that there was insufficient evidence for any beneficial effect of betahistine on symptoms. Most of the trials found a reduction in symptoms of vertigo and to a lesser extent tinnitus, but these effects may have been due to bias in study methodology. Betahistine is contraindicated for patients with pheochromocytoma. Patients with bronchial asthma or a history of peptic ulcer need to be closely monitored. Patients taking betahistine may experience following side effects: