Antivertigo agents
Medicines that reduce vertigo from inner-ear disorders such as Ménière's disease.
What they are
The WHO ATC group of antivertigo preparations includes betahistine, cinnarizine, flunarizine and acetylleucine. Betahistine is the best-known agent for the vertigo, tinnitus and hearing symptoms of Ménière's disease. Antihistamines and antiemetics used for acute vertigo belong to other classes.
Mechanism of action
Betahistine is thought to improve blood flow in the inner ear and reduce the build-up of pressure there; the other members act through different mechanisms.
Target: The inner ear and the vestibular system
Drugs in this class
Others in the class
- Cinnarizine
- Flunarizine
- Acetylleucine
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
Which inner-ear disease is betahistine mainly used for?
Ménière's disease.
Which two other medicines belong to the WHO antivertigo group?
Cinnarizine and flunarizine (also acetylleucine).
How is betahistine thought to work?
By improving blood flow in the inner ear and reducing the build-up of pressure.
Educational content on how drugs work; not a prescribing guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. No doses are given.
Sources: ATCDDD - ATC/DDD Index (WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology, 2026); Betahistine: a medicine used to treat Ménière's disease - NHS (NHS (National Health Service, UK), 2026).
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.