Event & Holter Monitoring

What is event and Holter monitoring?

Event and Holter monitoring refers to wearing a small device that records your heart’s electrical activity throughout the day. It allows your provider to diagnose an irregular, slow, or fast heartbeat and determine which heart disease treatment is best for you or if your current treatment is working effectively. 

What are the different types of monitoring devices? 

Pinnacle Healthcare System offers:

Event monitoring

If you have an event monitor, you can turn on the device whenever you detect symptoms. After documenting a heart event, you send the information to Pinnacle Healthcare System either wirelessly or over the phone, depending on the device.

The two primary types of event monitors include looping memory monitors and symptom event monitors. 

When you experience symptoms, you can activate a looping memory monitor by pushing a button. It then creates a record of your heartbeat before, during, and after the symptoms. 

Symptom event monitors store heart activity information after you activate the system. Unlike a looping monitor, this device does not collect information before and after the event.

Holter monitor

A Holter monitor continuously records your heart rate for as long as you wear the monitor. In many cases, you wear it for 24-48 hours.

Your provider attaches electrodes to your chest and connects them to the monitor. You carry the monitor in a pocket or pouch or wear it around your waist or neck.

During testing, you also keep a diary of your activities and symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or an irregular heartbeat.

While wearing a Holter monitor, you can keep up with many of your usual activities. However, you can’t bathe, shower, swim, have X-rays, or get near metal detectors or high-voltage areas.

How do event and Holter Monitoring work?

Event monitoring is an in-depth form of Hoter monitoring. While you wear a Holter monitor for 24 hours, event monitors can be worn for up to 30 days. Holter monitors measure continuous heart function activity while you turn on event monitoring devices when you notice symptoms. 

Event monitors record the same information as an electrocardiogram (EKG) but for a longer duration. The monitor uses sensors (electrodes) attached to your skin to pick up and record your heart’s electrical activity. Your provider at Pinnacle Healthcare System may ask you to use an event monitor for up to a month.

Some devices consist of a recorder that connects to electrodes using wires. Other monitors don’t need wires or a separate device. Instead, one patch contains the sensor and recorder, and you only need to wear the patch on your chest.

Schedule an evaluation at Pinnacle Healthcare System by phone or request one online today to determine if event and Holter monitoring are right for you.