Drugs without clear evidence for adverse effects

On this page we list drugs that have earlier been suggested to have the possibility to cause adverse effects in Brugada syndrome patients, but of which the Advisory Board could not gather enough evidence to state that this is indeed the case. Therefore, we have concluded that a recommendation to preferably avoid these drugs is currently not appropriate. Obviously, some caution should be taken when prescribing these drugs, especially ECG monitoring. When these drugs, or other drugs, do result in adverse events in patients with Brugada syndrome, please notify us here.

Drugs from different categories

Generic nameBrand name®Clinical useReferencesClass
Brompheniraminee.g.
Bromfed®
Dimetane®
Veltane®
-other names-
Histamine H1
antagonist /
allergies, rhinitis
Leiria 2013
Shin 2006
III
Dasatinibe.g.
Sprycel®
-other names-
Tyrosine kinase
inhibitor /
leukemia
Sgherza 2013III
Diltiazeme.g.
Tildiem®
-other names-
Vasodilator Agent
(Ca-blocker) /
Hypertension, vasospasms
Itoh 1999
Sasaki 2006
Antzelevitch 2005
Miyazaki 1996
III
Nicorandile.g.
Ikorel®
-other names-
Vasodilator
(K-agonist / NO-donor) /
Angina pectoris
Antzelevitch 2005
Robert 1999
III
Nifedipinee.g.
Adalat®
-other names-
Vasodilator
(Ca-blocker) /
Angina pectoris,
hypertension
Antzelevitch 2005
Hussain 1997
III
Nitroglycerinee.g.
Nitrospan®
Tridil®
-other names-
Vasodilator
(NO donor) /
Angina pectoris
Matsuo 1998
Antzelevitch 2005
Korth. 1975
III
Sorbidnitratee.g.
Cedocard®
Isordil®
-other names-
Vasodilator
(NO donor) /
Angina pectoris
Chinushi 2006
Antzelevitch 2005
Atanassova 1992
III

Recommendation class: Class I: convincing evidence/opinion; Class IIa: evidence/opinion less clear; Class IIb: conflicting evidence/opinion; Class III: very little evidence.

Disclaimer and Waiver
The information presented is intended solely for the purpose of providing general information about health related matters. We do our best to ascertain that all information on this site is correct and up-to-date. However, we cannot guarantee that it is. The information provided here is for educational and informational purposes only and designed primarily for use by qualified physicians and other medical professionals. It is not intended for any other purpose, including, but not limited to, medical or pharmaceutical advice and/or treatment, nor is it intended to substitute for the users’ relationships with their own health care/pharmaceutical providers. To that extent, by continued use of this program, the user affirms the understanding of the purpose and releases the Academic Medical Center, the BrugadaDrugs.org Advisory Board and Cardionetworks from any claims arising out of his/her use of the website.

Principal limitation
It should be clear to the users of this site that the principal limitation of the association between certain drugs, Brugada syndrome and arrhythmias, is that there are quite often only (a number of) case reports and experimental studies suggesting an effect in Brugada syndrome. Further, there may conflicting results and there may be large variability for Brugada syndrome patients in their response to certain drugs. This response may also differ in different conditions (e.g. with or without fever, drug in therapeutic range, overdosed or in combination with other drugs etc.). Clinical decision making should be based on more than the presence or absence of a (single) association in another patient.