A Holter monitor is a small, wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) that records the heart’s electrical activity over 24 hours or longer while you’re away from your healthcare provider’s office.
A standard or resting ECG is one of the simplest and fastest tests to check the heart. Holter monitor tests may be done if a traditional electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) doesn’t provide enough details about the heart’s condition. Some personal devices like smartwatches offer electrocardiogram monitoring. Ask your healthcare professional if this is an option for you.
Some reasons you might need to wear a Holter monitor or why your healthcare provider may ask you to wear one include:
- To evaluate symptoms that may be heart-rhythm-related. Symptoms can include:
- Chest pain
- Tiredness
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- To identify irregular heartbeats or palpitations
- To assess your risk for future heart-related events in certain conditions. These conditions can include thickened heart walls or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy after a heart attack that causes weakness of the left side of the heart. This is called Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. In this syndrome, an abnormal electrical conduction pathway exists in the heart.
- To see how well a pacemaker is working
- To find out how well treatment is working for complex abnormal heart rhythms
- To see how fast or slow your heart rate gets during the day and if you have any pauses in your heart rhythm
While you wear a Holter monitor, you can do most daily activities unless you have instructions to avoid certain things. You may be given a form to record your activities and any symptoms. It’s important to note if and when you have any of the following symptoms:
- Pounding, fluttering, or skipped heartbeats
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Lightheadedness
After the allotted time with the Holter monitor, your healthcare provider will review the test results and discuss them with you. Information from Holter monitor testing can show if you have a heart condition and if any medicines you currently take aren’t working.
If you didn’t have any irregular heartbeats while you wore the monitor, you may need to wear a wireless Holter monitor or an event recorder. These devices can be worn longer than a standard Holter monitor. Event recorders are similar to Holter monitors and require you to push a button when you feel symptoms. There are several different types of event recorders.
If you are experiencing any symptoms that may be heart-rhythm-related, you can schedule an appointment at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Cardiology Department by calling (718) 206-7100. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911 right away.
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.