COVID-19 update

Coronavirus (COVID-19) update

Brugada syndrome

Detecting and treating fever is important for patients with Brugada syndrome.

Follow the government's advice regarding social distancing and self-isolation.

A temperature higher than 38°C is a fever and should be treated using paracetamol or ibuprofen. If you have a high fever (40°C or higher) which does not come down after treating it, and if you do not have an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), please go to your local emergency department for an electrocardiogram (ECG). You may need to be admitted for cardiac monitoring.

If you have Brugada syndrome, continue to follow the usual advice we give:

• treat diarrhoea and vomiting promptly (for example with Dioralyte)
• avoid heavy meals or alcohol just before bedtime
• avoid medicines that may increase the risk of heart rhythm disturbances

Long QT syndrome

Please follow our usual advice if you have:

• long QT syndrome
• a prolonged QT on your electrocardiogram (ECG) even when a definite diagnosis of an inherited condition has not been made

It is important to continue beta-blocker medicines if these have been prescribed by your doctor. Avoid medicines that can cause QT prolongation. Treat diarrhoea and vomiting promptly (for example with Dioralyte) to avoid low potassium levels.

Fever does not generally seem to cause a problem in long QT syndrome (but a possible exception is patients with long QT syndrome type 2). These patients should take paracetamol to reduce a fever (or antibiotics if appropriate for a bacterial infection).