FAQ

Brugada Syndrome is an inherited heart condition in which the heart’s electrical system malfunctions despite the heart having a normal structure. It is caused by mutations affecting sodium channels in heart cells — most commonly in the SCN5A gene — and produces a characteristic pattern on an ECG. People with Brugada Syndrome are at risk of dangerous ventricular arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms), which can cause sudden cardiac arrest, most often at rest or during sleep.

Brugada Syndrome is more common in men and in people of South-East Asian descent. It may be diagnosed after an unexplained cardiac arrest, after an abnormal ECG is found incidentally, or through family screening following a diagnosis in a relative.

The main treatment for those considered at high risk is an ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator), which can detect and terminate life-threatening arrhythmias. Certain medications and substances — including some antidepressants, sodium channel-blocking drugs, and large amounts of alcohol — can trigger arrhythmias in Brugada Syndrome and should be discussed with your cardiologist.

Because Brugada Syndrome is inherited, first-degree relatives (parents, siblings, and children) of anyone diagnosed should be offered cardiac screening.