Carvedilol Suppresses Intractable Hiccups
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J Am Board Fam Med: first published as 10.3122/jabfm.19.4.418 on 29 June 2006. Downloaded from BRIEF REPORTS Carvedilol Suppresses Intractable Hiccups Danielle Stueber, MD, and Conrad M. Swartz, PhD, MD Carvedilol (6.25 mg, 4 times daily) relieved 2 years of constant hiccupping, marked tardive dyskinesia, compulsive self-induced vomiting, and feelings of hopelessness and low mood in a 59-year-old African- American man. He previously failed trials of ranitidine, chlorpromazine, promethazine, tegaserod, on- dansetron, metoclopramide, pantoprazole, pyloric injections of botulinum toxin A, and a vagal nerve stimulator. At a 5-month follow-up, improvement was maintained; there had been several instances of rapid relapse on carvedilol discontinuation. (J Am Board Fam Med 2006;19:418–21.) This report describes a case of persistent and in- Case Reports tractable postoperative hiccups of 2 years duration The patient was a 59-year-old African-American that responded to carvedilol after nonresponse to man, admitted to the hospital for nausea, frequent typical therapies. The chronic singultus was one of coffee ground hematemesis, and associated anemia, several concurrent pathologic conditions, including besides unrelenting hiccups. Hiccups began episod- self-induced vomiting, tardive dyskinesia secondary ically 10 years prior. These episodes were initially to metoclopramide use, and depressed mood. relieved by self-induced vomiting and attributed to Although major causes of hiccups are associated diabetic gastroparesis. The patient underwent sev- with gastrointestinal ailments, persistent hiccups eral upper endoscopic examinations, which re- can be induced by tumors, chemotherapy, diabetes, vealed gastric erosions, a 3-cm hiatal hernia, and a uremia, or brain disease. The hiccup reflex arc, as small Schatzki ring in the lower esophagus. Esoph- generally accepted and clearly described by Hansen ageal manometry and gastric peristalsis were within and Rosenberg,1 has 3 main neuronal components: normal limits. He underwent Nissen fundoplica- afferent, central, and efferent. Afferent pathways tion as expected definitive therapy for the esopha- derive from somatic sensory input ascending to the geal changes, but postoperatively he developed un- http://www.jabfm.org/ brain, primarily from the gastrointestinal tract. The remitting hiccups, nausea, vomiting, and a feeling central component usually refers to chemoreceptor of epigastric fullness. function located in the peri-aqueductal gray sub- These continued unrelieved by trials of raniti- thalamic nuclei. Besides the hiccup reflex arc, hic- dine (150 mg orally, twice daily), chlorpromazine cupping can be caused by a hyperdopaminergic (25 mg, 4 times daily), tegaserod (6 mg orally, twice 2 3 daily), and promethazine, ondansetron, and panto- state or other pathology. The efferent pathway on 30 September 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. involves aberrant vagal nerve stimuli associated prazole in various doses. He occasionally obtained with dyssynchrony of the diaphragm. Remedies partial improvement from intravenous metoclopra- target individual points along this arc and include mide. No evidence of obstruction or paralytic ileus mechanical and pharmacologic interventions. was found on radiograph films or computed to- mography scans of the abdomen. He failed trials of pyloric botulinum toxin A injections and a vagal nerve stimulator (Cyberonics, Inc., Houston, TX). Submitted 16 September 2005; revised 2 December 2005; accepted 14 December 2005. The hiccups interfered with his ability to eat. From the Department of Psychiatry (CMS), Southern Weight loss of 60 pounds over 24 months was Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield; and Vir- ginia Mason Medical Center (DS), Seattle, WA. documented. A gastro-jejunostomy tube was placed Conflict of interest: CMS lectures on tardive dyskinesia and 1 year after the Nissen fundoplication, and he be- tardive psychosis and the use of carvedilol and holds a use patent on carvedilol for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia. gan overnight tube feedings. He complained of a Corresponding author: Danielle Stueber, MD, Virginia Ma- constant compelling need to vomit. He retched son Medical Center, Graduate Medical Education H8, GME, 925 Seneca Street, Seattle, WA 98101 (E-mail: several times hourly. He experienced Mallory- [email protected]). Weiss tears and numerous bouts of hematemesis 418 JABFM July–August 2006 Vol. 19 No. 4 http://www.jabfm.org J Am Board Fam Med: first published as 10.3122/jabfm.19.4.418 on 29 June 2006. Downloaded from attributed to self-induced vomiting. He was repeat- were typically 2 to 3 words. He avoided eye contact edly hospitalized for bleeding and anemia. The and frequently showed restless movements, fidget- patient, his family, and the primary care physicians ing, and shifting. He showed continuous chewing stated that the hiccupping and weight loss would movements, frequent tongue protrusion, and lip probably lead to his death soon. Our psychiatric licking; he was unaware of these. He claimed a consultation was requested because of a suspected virtually constant urge to vomit and he clutched an obsessive-compulsive quality to the self-induced emesis basin. vomiting. Expecting carvedilol to mitigate the tardive dys- He had longstanding insulin-dependent diabetes kinesia and tardive vomiting, and to perhaps dimin- mellitus complicated by gastroparesis, gastroesoph- ish the hiccupping, it was started at 3.125 mg, 4 ageal reflux disease, and Barrett’s esophagus, a his- times daily. Metoprolol and metoclopramide were tory of colonic polyps, and peripheral vascular dis- discontinued. By the next day, the patient claimed ease. Additional cardiovascular problems included improvement. Hiccupping had decreased to 6 to 8 coronary artery disease with previous deep venous times per minute. Observable restlessness and vom- thrombosis, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. He iting were less. The carvedilol dose was doubled, had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He sur- and the next day, hiccupping was 1 to 2 times per vived a subarachnoid hemorrhage with residual minute, lip licking and chewing movements were right upper and lower extremity weakness and mild 50% improved, vomiting had stopped, he ate soft noticeable psychomotor slowing; the left anterior food regularly, and his outlook and mood were cerebral artery was clipped. Past surgeries included upbeat. His speech was dysarthric but louder and vagal nerve simulator implantation 2 years prior, longer. He maintained eye contact. He was dis- Nissen fundoplication 4 years prior, left anterior charged on carvedilol 6.25 mg, 4 times daily. cerebral aneurysm clipping 7 years prior, place- At a 5-month follow-up, hiccups were absent, ment of a Greenfield filter 7 years prior, femoral and no lip licking, tongue protrusions, or chewing popliteal bypasses 10 and 11 years prior, and cor- movements were evident. The patient admitted to onary artery bypass graft 18 years prior. an instance of discontinuing carvedilol but hiccup- Current medications were glyburide, lisinopril, ping, vomiting, dyskinesia, and low mood resumed insulin, metoprolol sustained release, amlodipine, after 2 days. This was observed in person by a potassium, pantoprazole, aspirin, metoclopramide, psychiatrist colleague. The primary care physician and gabapentin. He had no allergies, and there resumed the dose at 6.25 mg, 4 times daily, and the http://www.jabfm.org/ were no familial gastrointestinal illnesses. He was hiccupping again stopped. He complained of a re- on disability and lived with his wife. He had quit sidual urge to vomit, and he induced vomiting sev- smoking 8 years prior and denied use of alcohol and eral times daily; these were not connected to meals. illicit substances. His outlook remained good, and he enjoyed small Review of systems revealed pervasive feelings of meals regularly with his family. anergy, weakness, and demoralization tied to his on 30 September 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. medical problems. The patient denied other de- pression and anxiety symptoms and there were no Discussion fevers, chills, night sweats, dyspnea, palpitations, Few treatments reliably suppress the hiccup drive cough, headaches, seizures, blackouts, or urinary and some can even cause them as a rebound ef- problems. fect.4,5 In a syndicated column, Paul Donohue, On examination blood pressure was 196/100, MD, identified usual therapies as chlorpromazine, pulse 96, and respiratory rate 20. He was alert, metoclopramide, baclofen, and omeprazole.6 recumbent, in observable mild distress, and fully Chlorpromazine and metoclopramide are potent oriented. He repetitively and tensely complained of dopamine antagonists with the potential to cause anger and frustration from repeated hospitaliza- tardive disorders of movement and thought7 par- tions, home confinement, and ruination of the ticularly in frail individuals or those Ͼ55 years old.8 quality of his life from hiccups and vomiting. Re- Tardive vomiting, tardive obsessive-compulsive cent and remote memory were intact. His speech disorder, and tardive major depression can also was interrupted every 5 seconds by hiccupping. He develop.4,7 Our patient showed marked tardive dys- spoke softly and mumbled frequently. His replies kinesia, presumably from the metoclopramide and http://www.jabfm.org Carvedilol Suppresses Hiccups 419 J Am Board Fam Med: first published as 10.3122/jabfm.19.4.418 on 29 June 2006. Downloaded from chlorpromazine he had taken for 2 years.9 Carve- minish