Brugada Syndrome: Diagnosis and Management

Abstract

The vast majority of cases of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) are caused by ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VT), with most cases associated with structural heart disease. SCA in a structurally normal heart is an uncommon occurrence, most often occurring in the third decade of life and accounting for 5-15% of total SCA cases1-2. Common causes include Brugada syndrome, congenital long QT syndrome, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, and idiopathic ventricular tachycardia1-3. The majority of these patients with a structurally normal heart are undiagnosed until presenting with sudden cardiac death. It is believed that cardiac arrest is the initial manifestation of nearly 50% of cases among those with structurally normal hearts2. Here, we review a classic case of Brugada Syndrome, a common cause of sudden cardiac arrest in young adults, its diagnostic criteria, and management in a patient presenting for elective surgery.