Sudden death after a cold drink: case report.
We report a case of sudden cardiac death in a 12-year-old boy after rapid ingestion of a frozen slurry drink. The cause of death was determined to be a cardiac arrhythmia secondary to a previously undiagnosed cardiac rhabdomyoma with associated myocardial scarring. Ingestion of cold liquids has been associated with syncope, but not sudden cardiac death. In this case, bradycardia induced by cold-induced vasovagal reflex may have precipitated the terminal arrhythmia. Ingestion of cold liquids should be considered a potential trigger for fatal cardiac arrhythmias in patients with underlying heart disease.
Burke
A P
AP
Department of Cardiovascular Pathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC 20306-6000, USA.
Afzal
M N
MN
Barnett
D S
DS
Virmani
R
R
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology; D001628:Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D003080:Cold Temperature; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000473:pathology; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology