The Holter Monitoring is similar to an event recorder, although it is only used briefly. Holter Monitoring is employed to monitor the patient’s heartbeat. Doctors may advise this device to monitor heart health for longer if an ECG cannot identify a cardiac condition. For one or two days, doctors recommend it. The device is designed to carry while doing regular activities. To help them grasp the issue better, doctors advise their patients to monitor their heart rate and report it to them.

Instead of being referred to as a cardiac monitor, this test is frequently referred to as a Holter monitoring. The name comes from a physicist who developed the test in 1949, Norman Holter. An ambulatory ECG exam means you receive an ECG to wear the monitor so that doctors can observe how it changes over time. In the laboratory, doctors typically receive two or three leads. With these three leads, the physician can monitor patients for up to a month. It enables medical professionals to examine the heart’s rate and any potential rhythm problems. Additionally, it allows them to monitor heart rhythm during any symptoms you may experience. 

Holter Monitoring Symptoms 

Holter Monitoring is a test that doctors often use to evaluate patient symptoms of

  • lightheadedness 
  • palpitations 
  • fainting
  • Chest pain  

How to prepare for the test 

It is essential to prepare before any medical procedure or surgery. Your doctor will tell you certain precautions, do specific tests, and take your medical history. 

Remember that the appointment time has been set aside for you and the technician who will install the monitor when you visit the lab for monitoring. If, for any reason, you are unable to attend, kindly contact the laboratory to reschedule. If you have a lot of chest hair, it’s preferable to be removed, especially if you’re a man, starting at the lower rib cage and going up to the neck. The main concern is that the electrodes might not adhere correctly, probably only valid for a tiny percentage of men. Suppose the electrodes are uncomfortable to remove or are clinging to your hair. Doctors want to guarantee that the electrode has adequate skin contact. People should wait 24 hours before applying lotions or baby oil to their chests to avoid having the electrodes stick poorly. Your team will review the procedure when you arrive for the test. You’ll be asked to sign the patient information form if you’ve read and understand what we’re doing and agree that you want the test to be performed.

Procedure  

The monitoring electrodes are placed on the patient’s chest in a private room, then connected to wires that go to a minor monitoring pack beneath your clothing. Please take good care of the monitor because you will take it home. You’ll be given a diary sheet with all the necessary instructions. You must know that the diary is a crucial component of the monitor. Moreover, you must press the large button on the recorder If you experience symptoms like lightheadedness, dizziness, palpitations in which the heart beats erratically or alternately made pain in the chest, or difficulty in breathing. That’s significant because it contains a time stamp and a specific location that allows doctors to identify you when they view the raw data after pressing the button. Doctors can then examine the area around that time to evaluate whether there are any new problems after monitoring. As you press the large button, write a diary entry. Therefore, you should specify when the symptoms first appeared, how long they lasted, and what kind of symptoms you experienced. It is essential because it enables medical professionals to compare your symptoms with the ECG tracings taken simultaneously instantly. 

Precautionary measures

It’s crucial to remember that when you wear these monitors, as they are electrical devices, therefore you shouldn’t take a shower or get the electrodes wet. Using an electric blanket while swimming or sweating as it can adhere the electrode working. If there are any issues with the leads, you won’t receive any tracings of the highest quality. To achieve the best results, carefully read the instructions. The location of the leads and electrodes is depicted in a diary diagram. You can take the electrode down on your chest wall and secure it with any tape so that if one does come off, you can quickly replace it. You can carry on with your regular activities like working, eating, driving, sleeping and exercising without breaking a lot of sweat. You may take your medications, but don’t remove, damage, or scuff the electrodes on your chest. 

What should you do when the monitoring period is done?

After pressing the monitor’s two outside buttons for five seconds, you can take out all of the electrodes, put them in a bag, and give the monitor back to a medical employee. The memory card inside the monitor is then downloaded for evaluation when the monitoring period has ended. When your doctors have done that and have had a chance to review the information from the time you were monitored and match your symptoms to any possible conditions, they will let you know. After reviewing all the data, doctors will compile a report and transmit it securely to you with instructions that you could require additional testing or that you might have a heart condition. 

References:

  • https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/holter-monitor?amp=true
  • https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/holter-monitor/about/pac-20385039
  • https://www.healthline.com/health/holter-monitor-24h