When a heart beats abnormally, the condition is arrhythmia. This includes the heart racing, working too slow, or skipping a beat. If a doctor diagnoses you with this condition, they
recommend you wear a Holter monitor to record your heart’s activity over an extended time. This monitor may be worn during hospitalization or at home performing routine tasks.
What is a Holter Monitor?
A Holter monitor is a portable device that operates similar to an electrocardiogram (ECG) by providing constant monitoring and recordings of the patient’s heartbeat. If a cardiologist
detects a lack of blood flow to your heart (ischemia) or an abnormal heart rhythm, the doctor may recommend a Holter monitor to confirm or rule out a diagnosis.
As a small device operated by a battery, a Holter monitor can be conveniently worn around the neck, as a shoulder bag, in a pocket, or attached to a belt. Patients often wear these monitors for one to two days.
Advantage of a Holter Monitor Over an Electrocardiogram
If an ECG report does not provide the cardiologist with sufficient information about the
condition of the patient’s heart, they prescribe the wearing of a Holter monitor. ECG only
monitors the heart’s activity for a short duration and unable to detect heart irregularities,
like intermittent arrhythmia which can precede a stroke or heart attack.
A cardiologist recommends using a Holter monitor the patient is experiencing one of the
following issues:
- Chest pain not instigated by exercise or a stress test
- Fast, fluttering, or pounding heartbeat
- Tiredness, shortness of breath, or dizziness
- To evaluate the risk (if any) of future heart issues, from pre-existing conditions, heredity, or in the aftermath of a heart attack
- To determine how well your heart is responding to a pacemaker or heart medication
A Holter monitor checks the heart for significantly longer period of time than an ECG. The data it records is considered more dependable for a proper diagnosis than the short term recorded data from an ECG.
Fitting the Holter Monitor
A Holter monitor uses electrodes which are taped to the patient’s chest via wires that connect back to the monitor. The technician connects the recording device to the electrodes and
provides the patient with instruction on handling and using the device.
Holter Monitor Use
A Holter monitor uses electrodes that are taped to the patient’s chest via wires that connect back to the monitor. The technician connects the recording device to the electrodes and provides the patient with instruction on handling and using the device.
Holter Monitor Results
The doctor downloads the recorded heart activity and provides the results to the patient, often within about one week. The doctor will compare this data with the information in the patient’s symptom diary in order to properly diagnose any heart issues.
Benefits of a Holter Monitor
Cardiologists are aware of various conditions of the heart they need to monitor. Holter devices make thorough heart monitoring possible. These conditions include:
- Cardiac arrhythmias, that include irregular heartbeat conditions such as slowed heartbeat or signaling issues.
- Ventricular tachycardia, a fast heartbeat condition that initiates in the lower chambers of the heart.
- Atrial fibrillation, the condition of a rapid beating heart that can instigate a stroke.
One of the important benefits of a Holter monitor is its portability. The patient can wear this
device while continuing normal, routine, everyday activities. The data recorded from a Holter Monitor can help doctors determine the level of strenuous activity or exercise the patient can comfortably perform.
Possible Steps After the Test Results
The data recorded by the Holter Monitor helps the cardiologist determine if you have a
particular heart condition or are experiencing symptoms that may lead to a serious health
issue. The doctor may order more tests to better understand your symptoms.
Another benefit of using a Holter Monitor is that wearing it for a couple of days is a painless
exercise, other than the small inconvenience of having to wear the device with electrodes attached.
If the cardiologist is unable to provide a confident diagnosis from the Holter Monitor results, the doctor will suggest the wearing of a wireless Holter Monitor which may be worn for an even longer period of time than a regular Holter Monitor.