Anyone else here experience Cold drink heart?

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9037514/

I have only been shocked 2 times and both times I went into ventricular tachycardia I had extremely cold beverage in my hand.  

The first episode I ever had of vtach was at 28 pre icd was while drinking a Jamba juice smoothie.  After that episode is when I was first implanted. 

Over the years I have noticed that for me that cold drinks trigger my arrhythmia and I am wondering if anyone else experience something similar? 

When this first started happening there were zero articles but now when you search it pops up quite often.  Some drs think I am crazy and others could totally see the cold beverages effecting the heart as the esophagus is rather close to the heart. 

Here is the article below. 

The cold drink heart

John Davis Cantwell, MD

A 56-year-old physician noted the onset of fast, irregular palpitations after ingestion of a few sips of a frozen margarita. He recognized the likely onset of atrial fibrillation, confirmed on an electrocardiogram, and self-treated it with aspirin and a beta-blocker. It resolved overnight. A subsequent medical workup, including thyroid function testing, an echocardiogram, and a treadmill stress test, were all normal.

In the ensuing years, there have been three subsequent similar episodes, all triggered by the ingestion of very cold substances. One happened immediately after several bites of an ice-cream cone, while biking on a hot summer day. Another occurred while drinking iced tea and eating sorbet. The last one happened during dessert (coffee ice cream over a meringue, with Kahlua added).

In view of this personal experience, the physician has alerted patients prone to paroxysmal atrial fibrillation to avoid ingestion of very cold substances. One, a middle-aged veteran jogger, had reported similar symptoms after a large glass of cold water following completion of a 10-km road race. An electrocardiogram documented atrial fibrillation, which resolved spontaneously after several hours.

The heart and the esophagus are in close proximity. Ingestion of very cold drinks or desserts can trigger paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and probably other arrhythmias. Patients should be notified as to the importance of avoiding such triggers.

When our index patient mentioned to his wife the various things that had stimulated his paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, her response was something like, “If you had half a brain you would avoid doing those things.”

—John Davis Cantwell, MD, Piedmont Heart Institute, Atlanta, Georgia

grotnomdeip@llewtnac.nhoj

4 Comments

Couldn't agree more. There is most definitely a gastric connection for many of us

by Gemita - 2022-12-17 04:59:23

Grace, thank you for your interesting post.  It is well known that there is a strong connection between our gastric system and our heart and how arrhythmias could be triggered when we swallow certain foods, even liquids.  The proximity of the oesophagus and stomach to the heart is one explanation but the involvement of the vagus nerve, of any oesophageal motility problems, of any gastric reflux causing inflammation, even a hiatal hernia and things like this, are also top of the list of possible causes for increased arrhythmias. 

The reason I got my pacemaker was because of syncope and tachycardia/bradycardia syndrome, part of the Sick Sinus Syndrome.  I have been fainting mysteriously since childhood while eating.  The cause was eventually found to be due to intermittent oesophageal motility dysfunction and Nutcracker Oesophagus which intermittently triggers AF with a rapid ventricular response rate.   It was a long laborious process to find the cause for my syncope but after lots of autonomic function testing, they finally confirmed I had intermittent vaso vagal "swallow syncope".  I was so relieved to get a diagnosis and to be “understood”.

In more recent years, my arrhythmias have increased due partly perhaps to the natural progress of electrical disturbances and the ageing process itself, but also often due to my swallowing difficulties and the close proximity of the esophagus to the heart, so I completely agree with everything you are saying.  In fact for paroxysmal AF we can sometimes stop or trigger an episode just by eating or drinking something cold, spicy, fizzy or acidic for example.  Sometimes when we have gastric reflux, treating the reflux could help treat any arrhythmia too.  I have had tremendous relief of my arrhythmias by treating my gastric symptoms over the years.  So when arrhythmias are not well controlled with heart meds, look for any gastric symptoms as a possible cause for any increased palpitations and chest discomfort.  You may just be surprised to find one possible culprit.

I wish you well Grace

Verrrry interesting!🤨

by Lavender - 2022-12-17 08:14:14

I am not surprised by this. I don't have Afib. I do have an aversion to icy cold stuff. It bothers my stomach. I'm not surprised to hear it can also bother the heart! 
I always drink room temperature water and when eating out, say NO ICE NO LEMON. I love ice cream but let it get a bit melty. 
Same with too hot beverages and food. I no longer drink coffee but loved it. Always added a bit of tap water to cool it. Hot oatmeal sits a bit before I eat it. I also don't drink coke or fizzy drinks for the same reasons. 
Good research!

Cold Drinks

by Flo - 2022-12-17 12:14:09

Yes I have had cold drinks and cold food (ice cream and even cold yogurt) trigger afib, especially when having GI problems. 

Cold food

by AgentX86 - 2022-12-17 16:02:47

It sounds to me like a vegus nerve issue. Throw the para/sympathetic nerve system out of balance and who knows what's going to happen.

I'm glad I don't have that particular problem.  I love cold beverages (colder the better) and food (icecream, ice-cold drinks, and even just plain ice). I've been known to have icecream headaches more than once.

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