P305Unsafe drugs use and dysrhythmic events in Brugada patients with ICD: results of a long-term follow-up

Abstract

Background: Brugada Syndrome is a hereditary disease linked with an increased risk of sudden death that may require an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) in order to halt the dysrhythmic events. Our purpose was to identify possible triggers for appropriate ICD therapies in Brugada patients, focusing on their past and current therapeutic profile.Methods and results: Thirty high-risk Brugada patients with ICD implanted at the Coimbra Hospital and University Centre were enrolled. Patients were questioned about their Brugada history, previous cardiac events, comorbidities, present and past medication and physical activity. Patients were followed-up during 6.0 ± 5.3 years. The ICD was interrogated and arrhythmic events and device therapies were recorded. The cohort who received appropriate ICD therapies was compared with the remaining patients to determine the potential link between clinical variables and potentially fatal dysrhythmic events. More than half of the patients (53.3\\%) took at least one non-recommended drug and 16.7\\% received appropriate ICD therapies, with a long-term rate of 3.9\\%/year. There was a tendency for more appropriate ICD therapies in patients who took unsafe drugs (85.7\\% versus 45.5\\%, p = 0.062). Additionally, type 2 diabetic patients presented significantly more appropriate therapies than their counterparts (33.3\\% vs 0.0\\%, p = 0.006).