Rare syncope condition while eating sandwiches solved by pacemaker

A UK woman who felt faint primarily while eating sandwiches or drinking a carbonated beverage was diagnosed with the rarely seen deglutition syncope, researchers said. Also called swallow syncope, the condition is defined as "a transient alteration or loss of consciousness during swallowing," according to Christopher Boos, M.D., of University Hospital Birmingham, and colleagues, who detailed the case in the December 20-27 issue of The Lancet. "Patients with swallow syncope can languish for years because the diagnosis is little known," they said. The 25-year-old woman reported episodes of faintness during eating - especially sandwiches and "fizzy drinks" - that typically lasted less than 10 seconds and occasionally resulted in loss of consciousness - MedPage Today