Sudden Cardiac Arrest While Eating a Hot Dog: A Rare Presentation of Brugada Syndrome in a Child

Pediatrics. 2017 Oct;140(4):e20162485. doi: 10.1542/peds.2016-2485. Epub 2017 Sep 6.

Abstract

Patients who are diagnosed with Brugada syndrome (BS) usually experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and arrhythmia when they have a high fever, consume alcohol, and, more frequently, during their night sleep. In some rare cases, an SCA can be seen depending on a possible vagal stimulus, such as eating a large bite of food. We describe a 9-year-old patient who had a sudden cardiac attack while he was eating a large hot dog. After successful resuscitation, a suspicious ST elevation in V2 was seen in his electrocardiographic evaluation. He was diagnosed with BS after the ajmaline test and an implantable cardioverter defibrillator was implanted. Vagal stimulus-dependent SCA after eating a large bite of food may be the first symptom of BS. For this reason, the electrocardiographic results of the children who had a cardiac arrest after eating a large meal with big bites should be evaluated in detail.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Brugada Syndrome / complications
  • Brugada Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • Child
  • Death, Sudden, Cardiac / etiology*
  • Eating*
  • Electrocardiography*
  • Humans
  • Male