Monitors

Cardiac Event Monitors

Cardiac event monitors are patient-activated (you push the button) recorders designed for diagnostic evaluation of transient symptoms like palpitations, chest pain, dizziness, heart "racing", and syncope. An event monitor can also be helpful to document the frequency of an arrhythmia when a patient is asymptomatic. They are useful for patients of all ages.

There are several different kinds of monitors your doctor may recommend for you to wear at home. The choice of monitor may depend on the frequency and/or duration of your symptoms:

Non-Looping Monitors

Non-looping monitors start recording after your symptoms have started. This type of monitor is useful when your symptoms are long lasting (more than 2-3 minutes), allowing you enough time to get the monitor, position it, and push the button to record. The device then records a 32-second electrocardiogram. It can store several of these mini-ECG’s. You can then call a number which your nurse has given you and send these recordings in to your physician via telephone. Non-looping monitors will fit easily into your pocket, briefcase or purse and do not have to be worn with electrodes.

Looping Monitors

Looping monitors are worn with two electrodes, at times when your symptoms typically occur. It is most useful when you have symptoms that are short in duration or have preceding symptoms, or when your physician wants to capture the beginning of an arrhythmia. It is also useful for patients who have syncope of short duration and who may recognize the symptoms leading up to syncope. When you push the record button, the monitor memory will save the recording of your heart’s activity up to several minutes before and after you pushed the button (programmed by your physician). These monitors are about the size of a pager and are easily removed for showers, sleeping, etc. and can then be replaced.

Holter Monitors

Holter monitors are useful for patients of all ages whose symptoms occur frequently (on a daily basis). It will need to be worn constantly for a period of either 24 or 48 hours, during which the monitor records continuously regardless of whether you feel symptoms. It is the only monitor which can show ischemic change. The monitor has several lead wires and electrodes, which will be positioned before you leave the clinic. You will be asked to keep a diary of symptoms and events during the monitoring period. When you return to the clinic the monitor will be removed and a printout of all of your heart’s activity during the period will be given to your physician.

Implantable Loop Recorders

For some people, symptoms are so sporadic that even a take-home monitor like the ones described above are impractical. In these cases, your doctor may recommend a type of recorder that is implanted just under your skin (an outpatient procedure) and will record your symptoms for an indefinite period of time. This is an outpatient procedure. Once your symptoms are captured, the monitor can be easily removed.

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