A Lucky Accident: Brugada Syndrome Associated with Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Abstract

About 350,000 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) occur yearly in the United States. Unfortunately, even with treatment from emergency medical service (EMS) staff and hospitalization, only 12% survive past discharge for multiple reasons. Classically, Brugada syndrome (BrS) initially presents as a new syncopal episode in young males without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). However, in this case report, a patient who emergently presented with a ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) challenges the stereotypical presentation. Despite successful stent placement for relatively minor obstructive CAD, new ST-segment elevations appeared on electrocardiogram (ECG) and persistent ventricular fibrillation arrests may signify an additional underlying pathology of BrS.