What is a holter monitor?
The holter monitor is a portable 24-hour electrocardiogram recording device.
Many heart problems can only be detected during activity, such as exercise, eating, stress or even sleeping. The holter monitor makes it easier to record these transient rhythm disorders or episodes of silent ischemia. - In addition, the type of arrhythmia, its duration, and its relation to the symptoms mentioned by the patient (heart pain, dizziness, fainting, and syncope) can be studied - Its use in monitoring antiarrhythmic therapy a patient receives is also important.
Wear clothes that are not too tight. Avoid jewelry and clothing with metallic objects, as they can cause interference during recording.
A small portable device is placed in the patient's waist or neck. With the help of 5-7 cables it is connected to adhesive electrodes, which are placed in fixed positions of the chest wall.
You may be prompted to record various events or activities in a calendar. This makes it easier to correlate the symptoms with the electrocardiographic abnormalities in the holter. When sleeping, try to stay in a supine position, with the recorder mounted to the side, for better recording quality. If any of the electrodes or cables are removed, an acoustic signal will sound. Try reinserting the cable. If this is not possible, contact your doctor. Avoid using an electric toothbrush or shaver, as they may cause parasites. At the end of the recording, you will need to return to the office to have the ECG analyzed on a computer.
The holter monitor should be interpreted by a doctor - The results of the test are compared to the symptoms reported by the respondent - It is possible that during the 24 hour recording no symptoms are reported or quality of the ECG may not be the desired. In this case a second mounting of the holter may be required.
