Roemheld syndrome: Apprehending arrhythmia in a different perspective

Abstract

Corresponding author: Eka Prasetya Budi Mulia, MD. Department of Cardiology and Vascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga Dr. Soetomo General Hospital, 60286 Surabaya, Indonesia. Tel: +6231 5501601 e-mail: eka.prasetya.budi-2017@fk.unair.ac.id An intriguing article by Bodur et al.[1] investigated the association between premature atrial contractions (PACs) and gastroesophageal ref lux disease (GERD). The authors found that esophagitis and/or gastritis in patients with GERD symptoms were independently associated with the increased prevalence and number of PACs. The exact mechanism of esophagitis and/or gastritis-induced supraventricular arrhythmia is still unclear. However, several hypotheses have been proposed as the underlying pathomechanism discussed by the authors, including alteration in vagal and sympathetic balance and left atrium mechanical stimulation by esophageal distension.