title: Alpha-2-delta ligands for singultus (hiccup) treatment: three case reports.
abstract: Chronic idiopathic singultus (hiccup) is a debilitating condition affecting mostly elderly males. While in the past, pharmacologic singultus treatment was mostly "trial and error," more recently, treatment has become both more evidence based and pathophysiology guided. A combination of an acidity-reducing drug (H(2)-receptor blocker or proton pump inhibitor) with baclofen (gamma-amino-butyric-acid receptor type B agonist) has become the most widely used regimen. Some clinicians replace or supplement baclofen with gabapentin. We present three cases of chronic idiopathic hiccup managed with gabapentin or another alpha-2-delta ligand, pregabalin. This is the first reported use of pregabalin for this indication.
authors.affiliation: Westpfalz-Klinikum I, Kaiserslautern, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jatzko
authors.forename: Anka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stegmeier-Petroianu
authors.forename: Georg A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Petroianu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000588:Amines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006606:Hiccup / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069583:Pregabalin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D000927:Anticonvulsants; C425903:CACNA2D1 protein, human; D015220:Calcium Channels; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D008024:Ligands; D000069583:Pregabalin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin