Sepsis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Sepsis, including details on septicemia, diagnosis, symptoms, treatment.

Unmasking of Brugada syndrome by an antiarrhythmic drug in a patient with septic shock.

Terajima K, Yamamoto T, Onodera H, Takeda S, Tanaka K, Sakamoto A

Division of Intensive Care and Coronary Care Unit, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan. terajima.katsuyuki@nifty.com

Asymptomatic Brugada syndrome patients often display concealed Brugada-type electrocardiogram patterns that result in under-diagnosis of this syndrome. These patients include individuals of both genders and a wide range of ages. They are as likely as non-Brugada patients to have normal longevity or to suffer from a critical illness. Here we report a case of septic shock in which Brugada-type electrocardiogram patterns were induced by pilsicainide administration for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. This case report suggests that some drugs used in the treatment of septic shock can unmask the Brugada-type electrocardiogram pattern and induce lethal ventricular tachyarrhythmia.

Published 21 December 2005 in Anesth Analg, 102(1): 233-6.
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