A 35-year-old man was hospitalized around twenty times because he developed atrial fibrillation whenever he drank very cold water.
- Franklin Aribeana, American bodybuilder, had a heart rhythm disturbance every time he drank very cold water.
- Doctors discovered that his disorder was linked to a genetic mutation.
- Doctors believe her atrial fibrillation was triggered when cold water touched the vagus nerve at the back of her throat.
Franklin Aribeana, a 35-year-old bodybuilder from Texas, has ended up in the hospital more than 20 times due to heart disease. After years of research, he discovered that his heart rhythm disorder was triggered when he drank a glass of very cold water. He told his story to the channel ABC News.
Atrial fibrillation: a sip of cold water disrupts your heart rhythm
The American first noticed his heart beating abnormally at age 18 while he was in the gym. “It’s a day I’ll never forget. I took a sip of cold water. And as I settle back, I feel a double thud.”, he explains. Franklin Aribeana then fainted. This phenomenon then often recurs over the years.
It will take him 15 years and 25 hospitalizations or consultations to know the origin of his heart problems. Genetic testing revealed that the athlete, his sister and his father had a genetic mutation that could trigger atrial fibrillation. For him, this heart rhythm disorder occurs when he does something completely innocuous: drinks ice water.
Doctors suggest that the cold drink causes arrhythmia in bodybuilders because it disrupts the functioning of the vagus nerve. deep in his throat. In fact, the latter regulates, among other things, heart rate.
Atrial fibrillation: pay attention to the signs
Aribeana’s case is rare. However, his unusual trigger allowed doctors to diagnose his condition relatively early compared to other patients. His doctor Khashayar Hematpour, also interviewed by the American channel, took advantage of his intervention to warn the general public: “Pay attention to your symptoms”, remembering that the signs of atrial fibrillation often go unnoticed. “Some people may feel a little more tired than usual, have shortness of breath, or have chest pain.”specifies the health professional.
This disorder, also called atrial fibrillation, is also characterized by palpitations, dizziness or loss of consciousness. Faced with these insignificant symptoms, the disease is frequently discovered incidentally during a cardiac examination for another reason.
To treat Aribeana, doctors performed cauterization of the connection between the vagus nerve and the heart. This allowed him to make a full recovery and has not been hospitalized since. However, he continues to take medication for atrial fibrillation.
The thirty-year-old wants to raise awareness among the general public about this heart disease. “If you feel something, don’t be afraid to tell your parents. Don’t be afraid to tell your doctor the next time you go for an appointment, or if it feels sufficiently related to an emergency, don’t be afraid to go to the emergency room”said the patient.
