Marquette General Heart Institute

Holter Monitoring

A Holter monitor records your heart rhythm continuously, usually for 24 to 48 hours, as you go about your normal activities. It is helpful in identifying heart rhythm changes that might occur periodically throughout the day.

An arrhythmia or abnormal heart rhythm, may reflect a change in either the speed or pattern of the heartbeat. These abnormal beats could be occurring too fast, too slow or irregularly. Medical personnel can see an arrhythmia on an electrocardiogram (ECG), a recording of the heart's electrical activity. Often though, the abnormal beats may not occur during the actual time the recording is taken. This is when a Holter monitor comes in handy. The Holter monitor is worn and records your heart's activity for 24-48 hours, while you go about your normal activities.

Doctors may order a Holter monitor to:

What is a Holter monitor? The monitor itself is a small, portable recorder worn either on the waist or over the shoulder. Your ECG is continuously recorded on the device. Sticky patches called electrodes are placed on your chest and connected to the recorder.

You will wear the recorder and go about your normal activities. If you experience any of symptoms (dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain), you will press a button and record the time and symptoms in a diary. Also record any medications taken.  The ECG recording then can be correlated with your symptoms.

You'll keep the recorder on for the entire testing time, even though you may have already recorded the symptoms. You are encouraged to go about your normal activities, including exercise. You are asked however not to shower or get the electrodes wet. At the end of the testing time, you will return to the office to have the recorder removed, or be given instructions regarding removing and returning the recorder.

Your test results are usually available within a few days from your physician. The recording is scanned by a technician, analyzed by a computer, printed, and reviewed by a physician. The information your doctor receives from monitoring your heart activity, helps to identify the true cause of your symptoms. Your doctor will then be able to identify the appropriate plan of care for you.