Ambulatory cardiac monitoring is a way to watch and record the electrical activity of your heart. It is done as you go about your daily activities. Most of the recording devices are roughly the size of a pager or cell phone.
This test is used to determine whether the heart may be beating too slow or too fast and to detect any abnormalities in heart rhythm.
Your heartbeat is regulated by electrical impulses. Sometimes there are abnormalities with these impulses. When the abnormality is happening all the time, it is easy to find in the doctor's office. But sometimes the problem comes and goes. Ambulatory cardiac monitoring records your heart’s electrical activity for long periods of time. The length of time makes it much more likely to catch an abnormality that comes and goes.
Your doctor may advise ambulatory cardiac monitoring to assess:
You will first be evaluated by a doctor. An EKG , which is a test to check the electrical activity of your heart, will likely be done in the office.
The test steps will depend on the type of device used:
Certain environmental interferences should be avoided, including: magnets, metal detectors, high-voltage wires, radio frequency signalers, microwave ovens, electric blankets, electric toothbrushes, and electric razors.
After the procedure, you will return the equipment.
A typical interval is 24 hours. If your problem is less frequent than that, you may need to be monitored for a longer period of time. Longer monitoring often requires different devices.
This test will not hurt. Sometimes removing the electrodes can be uncomfortable.
RESOURCES:
American Heart Association
http://www.americanheart.org/
National Library of Medicine
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
http://ww2.heartandstroke.ca/splash/
Mount Sinai Hospital, Canada
http://www.mtsinai.on.ca/
References:
Abbott AV. Diagnostic Approach to Palpitations. American Family Physician. 2005;71. Available at: http://www.aafp.org/afp/20050215/743.html. Accessed August 19, 2005.
ACC/AHA clinical competence statement on electrocardiography and ambulatory electrocardiography. American College of Cardiology website. Available at: http://www.acc.org/clinical/competence/ECG/IV_ambulatory.htm. Accessed August 19, 2005.
Ambulatory monitors. Cleveland Clinic Heart Center website. Available at: http://www.clevelandclinic.org/heartcenter/pub/guide/tests/electrocard/ambmonitor.htm#loop. Accessed August 19, 2005.
Last reviewed December 2009 by Craig Clark, DO, FACC, FAHA, FASE
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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