Korean Circ J.  2012 Mar;42(3):212-215. 10.4070/kcj.2012.42.3.212.

A Case of Swallow Syncope Associated With Cold Beverage Ingestion

• Kim C
• Ko SM
• Kim N
• Park SM
• Lee GY
• Cho JH
• Kim JS

• KMID: 2225038
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2012.42.3.212

Abstract

Swallow syncope (also known as deglutition syncope) is a relatively rare type of syncope that is treatable if diagnosed correctly. We report a case of a 39-year-old man with recurrent swallow syncope. The patient did not have structural heart disease. He developed a complete atrioventricular block upon drinking a cold beverage (Chilsung cider) while undergoing a repeated head-up tilt test. The patient was advised to avoid cold beverages and has been symptom free for 5 months.

Keyword

Syncope; Deglutition; Atrioventricular block

MeSH Terms

Adult
Atrioventricular Block
Beverages
Cold Temperature
Deglutition
Drinking
Eating
Heart Diseases
Humans
Syncope

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 First head-up tilt test. The patient was given a cold beverage at 3 minutes during the first passive tilt test. Advanced second atrioventricular (AV) block was simultaneously noted for 2.9 seconds (A). In addition, transient complete AV block without escape beats was also noted for 6.2 seconds. The patient felt lightheadedness during the episode of complete AV block (arrows indicate P wave) (B).

• 

  Fig. 2 Second head-up tilt test. The patient was drinking a cold beverage at 26 minutes into the second passive tilt test. A transient complete atrioventricular block (AVB) without escape beats was noted simultaneously for 5.56 seconds. He felt lightheadedness during the entire AVB episode (arrows indicate P wave).

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