Chapter 3 - The Value of the Sodium Channel Blocker Test in Brugada Syndrome and Brugada Phenocopy

Abstract

Brugada syndrome is a disease entity associated with a characteristic electrocardiographic pattern known as the type-1 Brugada electrocardiogram and is associated with an increased risk for supraventricular and, importantly, malignant ventricular arrhythmias. Brugada phenocopy is a description of similar electrocardiographic patterns due to other conditions. The principal difference between the two entities is the absence of a spontaneous type-1 pattern and/or the noninducibility of a type-1 pattern by potent sodium channel blockers in Brugada phenocopy when the initial condition has dissolved. In this chapter, the value of the sodium channel blocker provocation test in Brugada syndrome and Brugada phenocopy is discussed.