A 24-hourECG Holter monitor measures the electrical signals that are transmitted every time your heart beats. The Holter monitor will allow your doctor to assess:
· Your heart rate.
· Your heart rhythm (e.g. whether it is regular or irregular).
· The strength of your heart electrical signals.
· The timing of your heart electrical signals.
Holter monitors are most commonly a diagnostic tool for arrhythmias, which are abnormalities in the heart rhythm. An arrhythmia is also known as an irregular heartbeat.
Arrhythmias can include:
· Your heart beating too quickly.
· Your heart beating too slowly.
· Your heart beating at an irregular rhythm.
The type of abnormality that is detected will determine the type of arrhythmia you are diagnosed with.
An ECG Holter monitor is an important, non-invasive cardiac test. It is a type of electrocardiogram(ECG) test that is done over a prolonged period of time. Holter monitors measure and record your heart rhythm continuously for at least 24 hours to detect irregularities. An ECG Holter monitor can detect different types of arrhythmias. The Holter monitor provides the cardiologist with information about your cardiac health. Every time your heart beats, electrical signals transmit around your heart. The electrical signals ensure your blood flows through your heart correctly. If your heart does not beat at a correct rate and rhythm, this can affect your cardiac blood flow.
Other types of cardiac tests, such as normal ECGs, only provide a brief glimpse of your heart rhythm and your overall cardiac health over a very short period, making it difficult to detect an arrhythmia which often occurs intermittently. Because an ECG Holter monitor assesses the heart over a longer period, it is significantly more likely to detect an abnormal heart rate or rhythm, which allows the heart doctor to make a more precise diagnosis.
You may require a Holter monitor if:
· You experience symptoms consistent with arrhythmia, including a faster or slower heart rate or palpitations.
· You have experienced unexplained loss of consciousness.
· You have experienced episodes of dizziness.
· You have experienced symptoms including dyspnoea (shortness of breath), tiredness or hypotension.
· You have been diagnosed with another heart condition that increases the risk of developing arrhythmia.
· You have experienced a heart attack, increasing your risk of arrhythmia.
Before having a 24 hour ECG Holter monitor, you may need to have first a traditional 12 lead electrocardiogram
No, you don’t need to come into the clinic to have a 24 hour Holter monitor fitted. The monitor will be delivered straight to your home. You will be provided with a set of clear instructions on fitting the monitor to your chest correctly. After the test is finished, a courier will come and pick up the monitor. The recordings and results will then be examined in our clinic by our experienced cardiologist.
If you are unsure whether a 24 hour ECG Holter monitor is necessary, you can come and see our experienced heart doctor. The doctor will look at your medical history and your reported symptoms and may run other cardiac and medical tests, such as blood tests, blood pressure tests and a standard ECG. The doctor will then decide whether a prolonged Holter monitor is the best cardiac test for you.
The Holter monitor will be delivered to your home with a set of clear instructions for you to follow. You may be asked to wear the monitor consistently for between 24 hours and 14 days. The cardiologist will decide how long you need to wear the Holter monitor, depending on the frequency and severity of your symptoms. It is a completely painless cardiac test. You will be instructed to apply two electrodes (small circular patches) to your chest in specific locations. The electrodes connect with wires to a small, portable ECG machine. You must wear the Holter monitor constantly for the amount of time specified by the heart doctor, including when you sleep and perform your regular daily activities. The cardiologist may ask you to keep a diary of any symptoms you experience while wearing the monitor, for example, if you feel any palpitations, dizziness or shortness of breath. The cardiologist can then compare your reported symptoms to the recordings of the Holter monitor and match this with a specific type of arrhythmia. Once your Holter test is completed, you will send the monitor back to us via courier. The cardiologist will analyse your results in detail to ensure an accurate diagnosis. Within 48 hours of the clinic receiving your monitor back, your results will be ready, and your cardiologist will explain them to you in detail.