Causes

Brugada syndrome is a heart rhythm disorder. Each beat of your heart is triggered by an electrical impulse generated by special cells in the right upper chamber of your heart. Tiny pores, called channels, on each of these cells direct this electrical activity, which makes your heart beat.

In Brugada syndrome, a defect in these channels causes your heart to beat abnormally fast, creating a dangerous heart rhythm (ventricular fibrillation).

As a result, your heart doesn't pump enough blood to the rest of your body. You can faint if the abnormal rhythm lasts for a short time. Sudden cardiac death can occur if the abnormal heart beat doesn't stop.

Brugada syndrome may be caused by:

• Structural abnormality in your heart, which may be hard to detect
• An imbalance in chemicals that help send electrical signals through your body (electrolytes)
• Use of certain prescription medications or cocaine