[Brugada syndrome unmasked by lithium treatment].
BACKGROUND
The Brugada syndrome is a rare genetic disease that can lead to death. Its diagnosis requires electrocardiography.


METHODS
A 36-year-old man was admitted with syncope. Brugada syndrome was diagnosed by the typical ECG pattern. The interaction between lithium therapy and ECG was shown clearly by the alternating type 1 and type 3 Brugada ECG patterns, depending on lithium status.


CONCLUSIONS
The Brugada syndrome may be unmasked by lithium therapy, due to its properties as a Na+ channel blocker, even at low doses. This case also demonstrated the usefulness of ECG in detecting the Brugada syndrome before and during lithium prescription.
Sandras
Raphael
R
Département de Cardiologie et Pathologies Vasculaires, CHU, Reims. sandras.r@wanadoo.fr
Lesaffre
Francois
F
Lacotte
Jérome
J
Nazeyrollas
Pierre
P
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D053840:Brugada Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D018020:Lithium Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D018020:Lithium Compounds; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs