What Is a Holter Monitor
A Holter monitor is a portable medical device used to continuously record your heart’s electrical activity ECG over a period, typically 24 hours.
What It Does
This portable device helps identify irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), assess the effectiveness of medications or treatments for heart conditions, and investigate symptoms like dizziness, palpitations, or chest pain
How It Works
- Small electrodes are attached to your chest and connected by wires to the Holter monitor (a small device about the size of a phone).
- You wear it under your clothes and go about your normal activities.
- You will be asked to keep a diary of your symptoms and activities.
Why It’s Used
Doctors use it when:
- A standard ECG (which lasts only a few seconds) didn’t show enough data.
- They need a longer, continuous record to capture intermittent symptoms.
After Monitoring
- The data is reviewed by a technician or cardiologist.
- It helps guide diagnosis and treatment plans for heart rhythm disorders or other heart conditions.
