A Holter monitor is a small device that is attached to a patient’s body for a period of one to two days in order to learn whether the person is experiencing an abnormal heart rhythm and/or to evaluate how well the person’s medications or existing pacemaker are working. The device provides continuous monitoring of the heart’s electrical activity, as opposed to just a “snapshot” of that activity that is obtained in a regular EKG test at the office. The monitor itself is attached to electrodes that are placed on the chest, and it can be carried in a pocket or worn on the patient’s belt. The patient is instructed on how to keep a diary of the activities they pursue (walking, mowing the lawn, etc.) and symptoms they experience (shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, etc.) while the monitor is attached. The occurrence of those symptoms can then be matched to changes registered in the patient’s EKG by the Holter device.
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