Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology

Psychopharmacology Hiccup caused by aripiprazole use: a case report

Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology 2013; 23: Supplement S273-S273
Read: 424 Published: 17 March 2021

The short-lasting hiccup is a frequent condition, which spontaneously resolves, causing no clinical problem. However, clinical problem appears in persistent (>2 days) and resistant (>1 months) hiccups, which are rarely seen. Hiccup can occur due to organic, idiopathic and psychogenic reasons. Drugs comprise an important part in the etiology of hiccup. Aripiprazole is a quinolone derivative, which has higher affinity to dopamine D2, and D3 receptors as well as 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A and 5-HT2B receptors. In terms of pharmacological profile, it has partial agonistic effect on D2 and 5-HT1A receptors while having antagonistic effect on 5-HT2A receptors. In this case report, it was planned to present an adolescent with a diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder in whom hiccup developed during aripiprazole use. A 14-year-old girl was presented to our outpatient clinic with feeling sad, fatigue, feeling of worthlessness and excessive guilt, irritability and difficulty of sleep onset after death of her cousin in a car accident. The patient was diagnosed to have depression and 50 mg per day sertraline therapy was prescribed. In the control visit on the month one, it was found that the complaints of pressured speech, excessive irritability, anger crisis and grandiosity developed in the patient. Thus, sertraline was withdrawn while 5 mg per day aripiprazole was initiated, which then escalated to a dose of 10 mg per day. However, following escalation of the aripiprazole dose to 10 mg per day, hiccup developed one hour after drug intake, which lasted 3-4 hours. Hiccup was persisted in the subsequent days, although its’ duration was shortened. No abnormal finding was detected in physical and neurological examinations as well as blood tests including complete blood count and biochemistry. Aripiprazole treatment was substituted by risperidone therapy due to persistence of hiccup since an improvement was observed in mania symptoms. Hiccup was resolved after conversion of drug therapy. It has been shown that dopamine, serotonin and gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) have important role in the pathogenesis of hiccup, although definitive pathophysiological mechanism underlying hiccup isn’t fully elucidated. It is well known that anti-psychotic agents are effective in the treatment of hiccup. In the present case, the role of aripiprazole is unclear in the pathophysiology of hiccup. The condition may result from the agonistic effect of aripiprazole on D2 receptors. Aripiprazole also has a partial agonistic effect on 5-HT1A. This could cause hiccup by promoting activation of phrenic nerve. However, this condition could also be considered a side effect in the spectrum of extrapyramidal symptoms/dyskinesia.

EISSN 2475-0581