When Seizures Signal the Heart: Diagnosing Brugada Syndrome in a Neurological Presentation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46531/sinapse/CC/186/2026Keywords:
Brugada Syndrome, Epilepsy, Sodium Channels, SyncopeAbstract
Brugada syndrome is an inherited cardiac channelopathy associated with sudden cardiac death, particularly during sleep, and characterized by a distinctive electro- cardiographic pattern. Emerging evidence suggests overlap with epilepsy due to shared ion channel dysfunction. Differentiating seizures from arrhythmic syncope re- mains clinically challenging.
A 30-year-old woman presented with a sleep-related motor paroxysmal event. She had a family history of sudden cardiac death and a prior similar event. ECG prompted an amilanie challenge revealing a type 1 Brugada pattern. A subcutane- ous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator was implanted. During follow-up, the pa- tient experienced a recurrent episode of loss of consciousness, without documented arrhythmia. A spontaneous type 1 Brugada pattern was subsequently observed dur- ing treadmill cardiac stress testing, though no additional events occurred thereafter.
This case highlights the overlap between Brugada syndrome and epilepsy and its diagnostic complexity, underscoring the need for ECG screening in seizure-like presentations and the importance of multidisciplinary evaluation.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Bárbara Lage Garcia, Emídio Mata, Lucy Calvo, Antonio Lourenço
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