Dizziness and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Dear Ask The Doctor: I was able to sleep in this morning (9am vs the usual 6:30) but I had a bit of a scare because the entire room started to spin. A lot. I have had dizzy spells before and this was extremely worse. It actually scared me. Could it be something I should be concerned with? Like pre warning for a stroke or heart attack?

Dear Grandma: There are many causes of dizziness. It can be associated with vertigo and middle ear infections. It can be a symptom of stroke, when a blockage occurs in a small artery supplying the posterior brain. It can arise from the heart due to heart rhythm abnormalities, narrowing of the heart valves or due to angina, chest pain due to a blocked/narrowed heart artery.

The intermittent sensation that the room is spinning associated with dizziness, would point towards a diagnosis of vertigo. It can also be associated with nausea and vomiting. I would advise attending your family doctor for a detailed history and clinical examination. He will be able to exclude many of the above causes with a physical exam, and prescribe some medication to prevent future occurrences.