Hiccups levodopa

Hiccups, an unusual form of dyskinesia, have been attributed to levodopa (19). 

An 81-year-old man with probable Parkinson s disease was given increasing doses of levodopa combined with benserazide. When the dose reached a total of 500 mg/day of levodopa he developed hiccups, which lasted for 3 days. He took no further levodopa and the hiccups stopped. On restarting at a dose of 100 mg the hiccups returned, though only for 1 hour. However, this was enough for the patient to refuse all follow-up and treatment. 

The authors thought that this was only the second report of levodopa-induced hiccups, but they noted that dopamine receptor antagonists have been used to treat hiccups due to other causes. 

Gerschlager W, Bloem BR. Hiccups associated with levodopa in Parkinson s disease. Movement Dis 2009 24(4) 621-2. 

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