Where should I go to get checked for Brugada syndrome?

(Mr. Nguyen Huu Quyen, 42 years old, Xuan Loc district)

Doctor replied:

Hello!

Brugada syndrome is a disorder of the heart's electrical activity that leads to life-threatening heart rhythm disturbances. The most common arrhythmia in patients with Brugada syndrome is ventricular fibrillation, in which the ventricles (the lower chambers of the heart) beat very rapidly and chaotically, which can cause fainting and sudden death. Brugada syndrome is one of the causes of sudden death in young people (the average age of sudden death is 40 years).

Brugada syndrome often has no obvious symptoms. Many patients with Brugada syndrome do not know they have the disease and are only discovered by chance. Symptoms of Brugada syndrome are often similar to other arrhythmias with signs such as: dizziness, palpitations due to arrhythmia, shortness of breath especially at night; fainting or near fainting; cardiac arrest that is resuscitated; sudden death in young people of unknown cause...

When the above symptoms and risk factors are present, the patient needs to be examined by a cardiologist - arrhythmia specialist for clinical examination and electrocardiogram (ECG), possibly genetic testing (detects about 30-35% of cases), electrophysiological examination...

There is currently no cure for Brugada syndrome, only treatments to protect patients from the possible consequences of dangerous ventricular arrhythmias.

To date, the only effective method to prevent sudden cardiac death in patients with Brugada syndrome is implantation of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). This is a small electronic device that is implanted in the chest to continuously monitor the heart rhythm and stop arrhythmias with electric shocks when necessary. ICD implantation is indicated when the patient is diagnosed with Brugada syndrome, has a history of dangerous ventricular arrhythmias, has a history of resuscitated cardiac arrest, or has an electrophysiological study showing dangerous arrhythmias.

Dong Nai General Hospital has implemented treatment for patients with Brugada syndrome with cardiac arrest resuscitated and then implanted a defibrillator to prevent recurrence of sudden death. You can visit the hospital's Interventional Cardiology Clinic for risk assessment and advice on monitoring and treatment methods.

Friendly!

MD, PhD Nguyen Van Toi,

Department of Cardiovascular Intervention, Dong Nai General Hospital