title: Brugada syndrome in Japan.
abstract: The incidence of Brugada syndrome (BS) is relatively high in Japan compared with the rest of the world, ranging between 0.1% and 0.2% in the general population. BS in Japan, as in other countries, is most prevalent in middle-aged men, and has characteristics ECG changes, a high recurrence rate in symptomatic patients, and relatively low incidence of SCN5A mutations. In contrast, both the incidence of a family history of BS and/or sudden cardiac death and the rate of developing cardiac events in asymptomatic patients are less in Japan than in other countries. Increased vagal tone and/or decreased sympathetic activity are suggested as provoking cardiac events. Several factors should be evaluated in risk stratification for recurrence of life-threatening arrhythmias, because there appears to be no single determinant for risk stratification: spontaneous ST elevation of coved-type (Type 1), family history of sudden cardiac death, inducible ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation and positive late potentials. An implantable cardioverter defibrillator is recommended for patients with aborted sudden cardiac death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0011, Japan. hiraoka-masayasu@mhlw.go.jp
authors.forename: Masayasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hiraoka
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D053840:Brugada Syndrome / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors