What does a Holter monitor tell me about my heart?
A Holter monitor is a portable electrocardiogram (EKG) that monitors the electrical activity of an ambulatory patient’s heart for a 24-hour period. It is most often used when your physician suspects an abnormal heart rhythm, often based on complaints of a sensation of a beating heart, a fast heartbeat, or palpitations.
A Holter monitor is a portable electrocardiogram (EKG) that monitors the electrical activity of an ambulatory (freely moving) patient’s heart for a 24hr. period. It is most often used when your physician suspects an abnormal heart rhythm often based on specific complaints of a sensation of a beating heart, a fast heartbeat, or palpitations. There is no special preparation for this painless test. Wires from the monitor are taped to the patient’s skin via electrodes as the patients are asked to go about their usual daily activities. Patients will keep a diary of symptoms so it may be reviewed by the physician for symptom correlation.
