Atrial Fibrillation in Father and Son after Ingestion of Cold Substances

Tan, Chun Wang; Glancy, D. Luke; Gerry, Joseph L.

doi:10.1097/00000441-200105000-00010

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Swallowing in general was described as a cause of paroxysmal AF decades earlier [ 13 ], but the proposal that gastrointestinal maladies can trigger cardiac dysrhythmias dates back to the 1930s [ 14 ]. Few reports of AF caused by cold-substance ingestion have been published [ 3 , 5 , 6 ]; more has been written on the broader diagnostic category of swallowing-induced AF [ 6 , 13 , 15 – 17 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation and Brain Freeze: A Case of Recurrent Co-Incident Precipitation From a Frozen Beverage

Lugovskaya

Vinson

2016

Am J Case Rep

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Patient: Male, 29Final Diagnosis: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation • cold-stimulus headacheSymptoms: Palpitations • headacheMedication: Diltiazem • IbutilideClinical Procedure: NoneSpecialty: Emergency Medicine • Internal MedicineObjective:Unknown ethiology • Rare diseaseBackground:Episodes of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation may be precipitated by the rapid ingestion of ice-cold foods and beverages. This condition has received little research attention, and its true prevalence is poorly described. Treating physicians may not identify cold ingestion as a causal factor of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, thus compromising both history taking and patient education.Case Report:We report a case of a healthy young-adult man who drank a slushed ice beverage that immediately induced atrial fibrillation and a brain freeze headache simultaneously. This occurred on two separate occasions, years apart. During both episodes, the acute brain freeze self-resolved quickly, but the new-onset palpitations occasioned a visit to the emergency department for diagnosis and treatment. The emergency physicians failed to make the causal link between the cold drink and the atrial dysrhythmia. Though the brain freeze headache and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were both precipitated by rapid ingestion of an ice-cold beverage, the mediating mechanisms are distinct. We review these two cold-induced conditions, their prevalence, and their probable mechanisms.Conclusions:The recurrent simultaneous occurrence of brain-freeze headache with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation identifies the ingestion of a frozen beverage as the precipitant of the atrial dysrhythmia. Increasing physician awareness of cold ingestion as a cause of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation will improve history taking and patient education.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation and Brain Freeze: A Case of Recurrent Co-Incident Precipitation From a Frozen Beverage

Lugovskaya

Vinson

2016

Am J Case Rep

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“…Likewise, a father and son (ages 79 and 42 years, respectively) were both documented to have atrial fibrillation following the consumption of an ice-cold frozen dessert. 10 Historically, the initial report of atrial fibrillation triggered by drinking an ice-cold beverage was described in a 55-year-old patient. 11 In this patient, most episodes spontaneously converted to normal sinus rhythm after several hours.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%