Treatment of Refractory Hiccups with Amantadine.

Persistent or intractable hiccups are not uncommon at the end of life, occurring in approximately 4% to 9% of patients, and can cause considerable suffering, including difficulties in eating, drinking, and speaking, insomnia, pain, fatigue, and depression. In palliative practice, the etiology of hiccups is often either unknown or untreatable, and empirical pharmacologic treatment is the norm. Unfortunately, many of the agents reported as effective for hiccups can cause undesirable sedation.