Abstract

Equivert (Pfizer) is a combination of 25 mg of the antihistamine buclizine and 25 mg of nicotinic acid per tablet. The makers claim that the drug is useful in “all vertiginous states whether associated with ageing, arteriosclerosis, streptomycin therapy, labyrinthitis, Meniere s syndrome or related conditions.” For this claim the only evidence is an uncontrolled study (J. C. Scal, Eye, Ear, Nose Thr. Monthly 1959, 38, 738) showing “improvement” in 46 of 50 patients with Meniere s syndrome treated with a similar combination. This is one of the many uncontrolled trials of drugs for the relief of vertigo which ignore the tendency of patients with this symptom to improve spontaneously and unpredictably. Only in the drug treatment of vertigo associated with motion sickness have adequate controlled trials been carried out.