HICCOUGHS IN THE ADULT

Hiccoughs are an involuntary spasmodic and coordinated contractions of the inspiratory muscles associated with a delayed and sudden closure of the glottis which is responsible for the characteristic noise. The pathophysiology of hiccoughs have not been elucidated. There have only been a Sew observations describing the sequence of inspiratory muscle activation and these suggest that the control of hiccoughs is within the central nervous system. The clinical circumstances associated with acute benign hiccoughs are both numerous and disparate. In these case s, when they stop spontaneously or as a result of simple physical mano euvres hiccoughs do not require any particular medical attention. Chro nic hiccoughs, defined as hiccoughs persisting for more than 24 hours ol reccuring as repetitive attacks are a rare phenomenon. The causes c over the whole of organic pathology. Systematic protocols of complemen tary examinations most often enable an underlying organic cause to be Sound. Amongst these, particular attention should be paid to oesophage al causes by the reason of their being the most frequent. An important place should be reserved for the aetiological treatment as is frequen tly enables a remission of chronic hiccough.