$Unique_ID{BRK01426}
$Pretitle{Special Procedures and Laboratory Tests, Circulatory System}
$Title{What is "Holter Monitoring"?}
$Subject{Holter monitor heartbeat}
$Volume{P-3, G-3}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What is "Holter Monitoring"?


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QUESTION:  My doctor suspects I suffer from an irregular heartbeat and wants
to try something called "Holter Monitoring" on me.  Is this monitoring going
to tell the doctor anything he doesn't know already?  Frankly, I'm a little
suspicious it's just another way for him to run his bill up.

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ANSWER:  Holter monitoring is a standard medical technique used to help detect
relationships between physical symptoms and cardiac irregularities.  The
technique has proven its worth in many situations--but has been found to be
of little use in other cases.
     Basically, a Holter Monitor is a miniaturized, portable device attached
to the body designed to record an electrocardiogram over an extended period of
time--from 24 hours on up.  The advantages of having a day long record of the
heart's activity, and not just a brief reading from a visit to a doctor's
office, are obvious.
     Most units are equipped with an "event button" that the wearer can press
when experiencing unusual sensations, such as lightheadedness or palpitations;
the resulting cue mark on the tape is compared to the accompanying readings to
see if any unusual heart activity took place at that time.
     However, not all sensations experienced by a wearer correspond to actual
changes in the heart's activity, and resulting recordings must be carefully
studied by a trained technician in order to reveal relevant information.
Newer versions of the Holter monitor digitally summarize and store the
highlights of the heart's activity, rather than keeping a total record on
recording tape; these versions are less expensive, but cannot provide as
detailed information as the older units, and important details of the heart's
activity may be omitted.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
