Holter and Event Monitoring
CARDIOLOGY SERVICES
Holter and event monitors are portable devices inserted to observe your heart activity for quite some time like for days or even weeks at a time. Both of the monitors are useful for recording inside the heart. Port Charlotte Cardiology offers both the holter and event monitoring in order to treat any heart condition.
Holter monitor
A holter monitor is a device that takes down how your heart works continuously for a day or even two days. You can lead your normal life with it. It doesn’t make you feel anything.
If you have an irregular heart beat like too slow or too fast or if you miss a heartbeat, your heart doctor may recommend you to have a holter monitor. Your doctor may even suggest you one if you have any of the symptoms of dizziness, low blood pressure, or shortness of breath. Or even if you have a quite normal heartbeat, your heart doctor may suggest you wear one if you have any heart condition. To check if your heart is doing alright, you may need to have a holter monitor.
There are some other reasons you may need to wear a holter monitor which is as follows.
- To find out if your pacemaker is doing alright.
- Chest pain.
- To check if your heart treatment functions.
For the preparation part of getting the monitor, you usually do not need to put an end to drinking or eating. The doctor will set you up with the monitor.
The monitor is a small box that comes with wires or sensors linked to it. It can be worn outside of your body. You can carry it on your shoulder or you can just have it in your pocket.
Event Monitor
An event monitor is another heart monitor to check out if your heart is working fine or not. You can wear this monitor like a normal thing as well in your pocket. The difference between an event monitor and from holter monitor is that batteries provide power for this monitor. And the monitor does not record continuously. You have to switch the on and off the monitor on your own. You may need to switch on the monitor when your symptoms start. Nowadays some of the monitors can start to record themselves by figuring out irregular heartbeats on their own. Event monitors need to be worn for a month or more.
Your doctor will set you up with the monitor just like the holter monitor. Holter and event monitoring are the same when it comes to the wearing process. An event monitor can record only a few minutes at a stretch. You need to stay still while it records to get the most accurate recording. You also need to remove the monitor before getting attached to water.
If you have symptoms of chest pain or dizziness, your doctor may suggest you have an event monitor. Or if you are under medication, you may need a monitor to find out if the medications are working.