<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><xml><records><record><source-app name="HighWire" version="7.x">Drupal-HighWire</source-app><ref-type name="Journal Article">17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ngo, Hà TN</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Maarsingh, Otto R</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Slottje, Pauline</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Blanker, Marco H</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Groenhof, Feikje</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Bont, Jettie</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">van Vugt, Vincent A</style></author></authors><secondary-authors></secondary-authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Anti-vertigo drug prescribing for patients with vestibular symptoms in primary care</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">BJGP Open</style></secondary-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2025</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2025-06-23 00:00:00</style></date></pub-dates></dates><elocation-id><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">BJGPO.2025.0052</style></elocation-id><doi><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">10.3399/BJGPO.2025.0052</style></doi><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%"></style></volume><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%"></style></issue><abstract><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Background There is limited evidence that anti-vertigo drugs (AVDs) are effective in patients with vestibular symptoms. Still, betahistine is one of the most frequently prescribed off-label drugs. General practitioners (GPs) are likely to contribute substantially to these potentially inappropriate prescriptions.Aim To evaluate the frequency of (long-term) AVD prescriptions in primary care and characteristics associated with long-term prescriptions.Design and Setting We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study using anonymised routine primary care data from more than 1.2 million patients registered at 269 general practices throughout the Netherlands, covering the period 2018-2021.Methods We included adult patients with vestibular symptoms and/or AVD prescriptions. Outcomes were the prevalence and incidence of (long-term) AVD prescriptions. We used a multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify characteristics associated with long-term prescriptions.Results Among 73 650 patients with vestibular symptoms, 6172 patients (9.2%) received AVD prescriptions, and 32% of these were long-term. The majority of patients with prescriptions and long-term prescriptions (88% and 77%, respectively) had any other vestibular disorder than Ménière’s disease. Still, Ménière’s disease was associated with long-term prescriptions as well as increasing age. Patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and a symptom diagnosis of lightheadedness were less likely to receive long-term prescriptions, in addition to patients registered at practices in extremely urbanised areas.Conclusion AVD prescriptions, including long-term prescriptions, are common among patients with a wide array of vestibular symptoms and disorders, despite limited evidence. Management of vestibular symptoms by GPs can be improved by reducing these potentially inappropriate prescriptions.</style></abstract></record></records></xml>