Brugada syndrome is a heart rhythm disorder due to genetic abnormalities. Brugada syndrome often does not cause symptoms, but it can make the sufferer experience sudden cardiac arrest.
An irregular heart rhythm will make the heart cannot pump blood throughout the body optimally. While it often does not pose complaints, some of the Brugada’s syndrome sufferers can feel heart pounding and breathlessness complaints.
Brugada syndrome is rare, but it is one of the leading causes of sudden death in infants to older persons.
Causes of Brugada syndrome
Brugada syndrome is a disorder in the heart associated with genetic disorders. Under normal circumstances, in order for the heart can beat, the electric power that is triggered by the right-heart atrium will be streamed into a canal, to move the heart muscle to beat.
At Brugada syndrome, there was a genetic disorder that caused the canals to be abnormalities, so that the flow of the heart’s electricity was uncontrolled too rapidly. A person with a parent who has a Brugada syndrome has a high risk of experiencing it as well.
Brugada Syndrome Risk Factors
The risk of Brugada syndrome can be increased due to several things. Here are a number of factors that can trigger the emergence of Brugada syndrome, including:
Heredity.
If one family member has a Brugada syndrome, then someone is also at risk of developing this disease.
Race.
Asians, particularly Japan and southeast Asia are more at risk of experiencing Brugada syndrome than any other region in the world.
Men.
Brugada syndrome is more commonly found in older males than in women. That is, men are more at risk of experiencing this disease.
Fever.
Fever does not directly cause Brugada syndrome, but high fever that is not immediately handled can cause heart irritation and trigger the appearance of Brugada syndrome as well as sudden cardiac arrest.
Read also: The Difference Between a Heart Attack and Cardiac Arrest
Brugada Syndrome Symptoms
Brugada syndrome often does not cause any symptoms. However, in some sufferers, Brugada syndrome may show symptoms that are not much different from other cardiac rhythm disorders, such as:
- Dizziness
- Faint
- Chest Pain
- Heart pounding
- Shortness of breath
- Seizures
These symptoms may arise at any age, but more often at the age of 30-40 years. Symptoms of Brugada syndrome may also arise from being triggered by fever, dehydration, and excessive alco**hol consumption.
When to go to a doctor?
Because this syndrome has no symptoms, but fatal if ignored, then you need to pay attention to your heart condition. If you have heart palpitations or irregular beats (arrhythmias), faint, or have family members suffering from Brugada syndrome, it’s a good idea to consult a doctor to discuss whether you need to undergo a genetic test to find out whether you risk getting a Brugada syndrome or not.
Brugada Syndrome Diagnosis
Doctors make a diagnosis of Brugada syndrome based on clinical examination, cardiac record, and other supporting tests. Here’s the explanation
Cardiac record or electrocardiogram
At the heart Record examination, the doctor will place a probe device on your chest. This tool will record the electrical impulses that make your heart beat, so that the irregularities of the heartbeat can be detected.
But heart rhythms can sometimes change. As a result, cardiac record screening is not able to capture the irregularities of heart rhythm.
Your doctor may provide some type of medication during cardiac examination. For example antianginal drugs, antidepressant drugs, antipsychotic drugs, or antihistamine drugs.
The treatment of the drug is intended to allow a Type 1 Brugada syndrome pattern to be seen in the heart record.
Cardiac Electrophysiology Examination
Your doctor may also recommend a cardiac Electrophysiology test if you have a sudden cardiac arrest. This test allows the doctor to find out your tendency in experiencing the complications of Brugada syndrome.
Genetic testing
A genetic examination can be recommended by a physician to your other family members, to see if they suffer from the Brugada syndrome.
