Symptomatic swallowing-induced paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia.

A 55 year old woman with palpitations during ingestion of food or drink was evaluated with surface, esophageal and dynamic electrocardiographic techniques. Recordings documented the consistent induction of supraventricular tachycardia by swallowing; no definable gastrointestinal or other cardiac abnormality was present. Nine previously reported cases are reviewed, with special reference to the role of vagovagal reflexes in the pathogenesis of this unusual clinical syndrome.