Resuscitated cardiac arrest due to Brugada syndrome in an Ethiopian man: a case report

BACKGROUND: Brugada syndrome is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder that is generally rare but can potentially cause life-threatening arrhythmia, sudden cardiac arrest, or death in young adults with structurally normal hearts. It is characterized by coved-type ST-segment elevation with T-wave inversion and with or without a right bundle branch block. CASE PRESENTATION: A 42-year-old Ethiopian man presented with two episodes of loss of consciousness followed by palpitations and experienced documented in-hospital cardiac arrest due to ventricular tachycardia, which was successfully resuscitated. A diagnosis of Brugada syndrome was made after a typical electrocardiogram finding was noted postresuscitation. CONCLUSION: Although rare, Brugada syndrome is not nonexistent in the Black population, and it should be considered in young adults presenting with syncope, sudden cardiac arrest, or death in otherwise structurally normal hearts.