Diagnosis

Brugada syndrome usually is diagnosed in adults and, sometimes, in adolescents. It's rarely diagnosed in young children because the symptoms are often unnoticed.

To diagnose Brugada syndrome, your doctor will perform a physical exam and listen to your heart with a stethoscope. Tests are done to check your heart beat and diagnose or confirm Brugada syndrome.

• Electrocardiogram (ECG) with or without medication. An ECG is a quick, painless test that records the electrical signals in your heart. During an ECG, sensors (electrodes) are attached to your chest and sometimes your limbs. The test can help your doctor detect problems with your heart's rhythm and structure.

  If your heart beat is normal during the test, your doctor may order a portable ECG that you wear during your daily activities for a full day and night. This type of test is called a 24-hour Holter monitor.

  If you have symptoms of Brugada syndrome, but your initial ECG and 24-hour Holter test were normal, your doctor may give you medications through an IV that may trigger an abnormal heart beat.

• Echocardiogram. An echocardiogram uses sound waves to create images of your heart. This test cannot diagnose Brugada syndrome on its own, but it can help your doctor rule out any structural problems with your heart.

• Electrophysiology test. If your ECG shows signs of Brugada syndrome, or if you have had symptoms such as sudden cardiac arrest, your doctor may recommend an electrophysiology test to see how easy it is to get the heart to go into the abnormal Brugada rhythm.

  In an electrophysiology test, a catheter is threaded through a vein in your groin to your heart. Electrodes are passed through the catheter to different points in your heart to map out any irregular heartbeats. The electrodes don't shock your heart — they just detect the electrical signals running through your heart.