ABSTRACT
Hiccups are usually annoying trivial events of unknown physiological significance, but they can also signal significant underlying illness. Occasionally they cause serious complications (operative wound breakdown, dehydration, fatigue, depression, sleep deprivation, stroke, heart block), and even death.1 Hiccups lasting more than 24 hours or recurring frequently may indicate serious pathology.2 The incidence of hiccups in palliative care is unknown.
