Worrisome thoughts about the diagnosis and treatment of patients with Brugada waves and the Brugada syndrome.

Abstract

The Brugadas have made a significant contribution to medicine. Their discovery of a new clinical syndrome and ECG abnormalities has created a great deal of interest and has opened Pandora's box. Here, we discuss some worrisome thoughts about the condition. We stress the need for improved diagnostic criteria and treatment because it is not always possible to perform coronary arteriography, electrophysiological studies, right ventricular myocardial biopsy, and MRI in all patients in whom ST-segment abnormalities are seen in the ECG, especially in patients who are asymptomatic. Accordingly, further research is needed to guide the clinician in the diagnostic and therapeutic problems of patients who have unusual ST segments in leads V1 and V3. We present a patient who illustrates the problem.