What is a Holter Monitor?

If you’ve gone to your doctor and had an EKG test, then he may want to follow up with a Holter Monitor. When a cardiologist or other doctor determines that long tern monitoring of your heart is necessary to properly diagnose or treat your condition, then they use a Holter Monitor.

The machine can take heart monitor readings over several days and can be used in conjunction with a journal. You write down when episodes happen and the doctor can check the EKG readings at those times to see what the problem is and its severity.

What is a Holter Monitor?

When people think of an EKG machine, they see a large machine resting on top of a cart that’s wheeled from place to place. It’s certainly not a portable EKG Machine. When the doctor says you’re going to be monitored for 48 hours straight, people think they’re wheeling around this machine wherever they go.

Thankfully, that’s not the case. A Holter Monitor is a small EKG machine that attaches to your chest. The electrodes connect around your heart and it takes a continuous reading or when the event begins you can press a button and have it start taking readings.

Traditional EKG machines also connect to your arms and legs, but the lead wires are restricted to your chest in a Holter Monitor. It reads the information and either downloads it onto an internal memory or transmits it to the hospital.

Benefits of a Holter Monitor

There are many benefits of using a Holter monitor over the more traditional EKG machine. When the patient is connected to a standard EKG machine, there is very limited movement. They’re generally lying down or on a treadmill if it’s a stress test.

Even the slight movements of a stress test can be difficult on a standard EKG. If you need long term monitoring and you also need to get on with your life, Holter Monitors are perfect.

You can go about your life with total freedom. You can go to work, shop and do everything you did before and still maintain your heart monitoring.

Why Wear a Holter Monitor?

There are several reasons why a person would wear a Holter Monitor. The heart is a complex organ and not all problems show up on demand. If you’re complain about heart problems like heart fluttering, etc., and they don’t show up on an EKG machine, then you’ll likely need Holter monitor.

When dealing with an irregular heartbeat, slow heartbeat, fast heartbeat or other anomaly, they don’t show up on command. There could be a number of factors that influence the issue and they don’t always show up during a standard exam.

By using long term monitoring, the machine catches is as it happens. There could be hours of normal heart rhythms and then 15 minutes of arrhythmia. The Holter Monitor catches it during that brief period and allows doctors to see it.

They can then diagnose it and begin treatment. These problems get worse over time, so the Holter Monitor allows doctors to find it early. If gone untreated, they can lead to more dangerous heart problems.

Certain medications can also cause heart issues. If a doctor prescribes medicine known to have possible cardiac side effects, then you’ll get a Holter Monitor to see how your heart reacts to the medicine.

Keeping Pace with a Pacemaker

If you recently had a pacemaker installed, then the doctor may use a Holter Monitor to make sure it’s working properly.

A pacemaker is a small machine that connects to your heart and monitors your heart’s electrical pulses. If there’s a problem that causes the heart to get out of sync, it can deliver a charge to get the rhythm back to normal.

Its job is to prevent major cardiac problems. Once the machine is installed, a Holter Monitor can show if the pace maker works and how efficiently.

The Quick Easy Holter Monitor

It’s an incredibly non-invasive machine that lets doctors get a glimpse into your long-term heart rhythm and not just the few minutes available during an office or ER visit. Beck Lee has a wide variety of Holter Monitors available and is one of the most trusted names in the business.

Take a look at your Holter Monitor selection and get one for your hospital or doctor’s office today.