re: Experiences with A-Fib

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Upon ingestion of cold substances, in particular, neural pathways are triggered by receptors in the pharynx and esophagus that activate the cardioinhibitory center in the medulla. The medulla then delivers a signal via the vagus nerve to the pulmonary vein region of the left atrium, reducing the relative refractory periods of the myocytes in a nonuniform manner, increasing heterogeneity, and augmenting the ability of single atrial premature beats to initiate AF in susceptible individuals [3,24,30]. This vagally-mediated mechanism of cold-induced AF is thought to be more common in younger patients and those with structurally normal hearts

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