Many patients present with some type of cardiology problem. A cardiologist, or other medical doctor, might want to get a better idea of what the patient’s heart is doing over a time frame. One of the ways that they do this is to use a cardiac monitor that records the patient’s heart rate and other factors. One popular monitor of this sort is the monitor by Holter.
How Long Should a Patient Wear a Holter Monitor?
A patient will usually be instructed to wear their holter monitor for 24 hours. This can be done in a hospital setting, or the patient can wear the device at home. A standard EKG only gives the doctor a quick reading of what the heart is doing. It is necessary for the patient to be hooked up with cardiac monitor electrodes that are placed on the body at key points. A doctor might want the patient to wear a 24-hour cardiac monitor to discover what the heart is actually doing for a longer period of time.
What if the Patient Experiences Heart Related Symptoms?
Sometimes, a patient might develop possible heart related symptoms when wearing a 24-hour monitoring device. They will be instructed to keep a record of symptoms, like dizziness, heart palpitations, fainting, skipped beats, racing heart and others.
Keeping a Heart Monitor like a Holter Maintained
Heart specialists can order supplies, replace parts or order new cardiac-related devices by contacting a medical supply business. These heart monitors need specific supplies.