Alcohol‐induced Ventricular Fibrillation in Brugada Syndrome

Abstract

A 37-year-old man lost consciousness suddenly due to ventricular fibrillation (VF). After cardioversion, twelve-lead ECG showed a pattern characteristic of type 1 Brugada. An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) was implanted for Brugada syndrome. In the following three years, VF occurred eight times after consumption of alcohol. Association between the Brugada syndrome and alcohol consumption has rarely been reported. Recently, it was reported that alcohol has inhibitory effect on single cardiac sodium channel gating and it may be that alcohol acted as a sodium channel blocker in this patient. Here we report a case of alcohol-induced VF in Brugada syndrome. (J Arrhythmia 2009; 25: 32-35)

Persistent Abnormal Value of Late Potential in Brugada Syndrome Associated with Hypokalemia

“…The ECG features of Brugada syndrome are often concealed but can be unmasked or modulated by many factors. [4][5][6][7] Hypokalemia is also known to be associated with Brugada syndrome and occurrence of the polymorphic ventricular tachyarrhythmia. 1,2 In consistence with previous case reports, the Brugada ECG pattern was observed when the serum potassium levels were 2.6 mEq/L (Case 1) and 3.0 mEq/L (Case 2), respectively.…”

Drug‐induced Brugada syndrome

“…Cocaine is known to block the sodium channels and thus to unmask a BrS phenotype [60]. Alcohol intoxication is also reported to induce a BrS phenotype [61]. Interestingly, a full stomach after a large meal is known to induce a BrS phenotype [62].…”