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Ambulatory EKG Monitoring (Holter Monitor)
What is an ambulatory
monitor?
An Ambulatory Monitor, sometimes
called a Holter, is a painless monitoring of your heart beat up to
twenty-four hours. You will be asked to wear a very small recording device.
Your monitor weighs only four pounds. The monitor will record every beat of
your heart for as long as you wear the equipment.
Where is the test done?
A specially trained technician will
attach the monitor to you. You should go about your daily routine (unless
instructed by your doctor to do otherwise). Your Ambulatory Monitor will
work quietly in the background keeping track of your heart's activity.
What will happen?
You will have several small
electrodes (they look like round stickers) put on your chest. Wires from
your monitor will be attached to the electrodes. Your technician will put on
the electrodes and the wires for you. Your technician will put your recorder
in its carrying case. You will be given a pink piece of paper called a
patient diary. You will be asked to write down your daily activity on this
diary. You also need to write down the time and character of any symptoms
you may have during the day. On the first line at the top of the page you'll
see a sample of a diary entry. Keep your diary with you all the time and
record your times, symptoms, and activities accurately. Your recorder
doesn't record your voice or any other sounds, only your heart beats So, to
know how you feel during the day, it is important that you write in your
diary. Your monitor has a "patient event" button for you to use. If you feel
a symptom (such as dizziness, feeling faint, or chest pain), push the event
button on your recorder. When you push the event button, it puts an
electronic mark on the recording tape. Your technician can check for this
mark when he/she looks at your recording. When you push the event button, be
sure to write it in your diary.
Caring for your monitor.
You should treat your monitor like a
portable radio. Do not drop it. Do not take a bath or shower with it on. You
will also sleep with your monitor. You can put the monitor under a pillow
next to you. Please do not use an electric blanket when you sleep with your
monitor. The electric blanket, when on, will interfere with the recording of
your heart beats. If an electrode or lead wire comes off, use tape to place
it back on.
When do I return the monitor?
If you are an outpatient, you must
return the monitor by 12pm the next working day. After the monitor has been
removed, you may go home. If you are a patient in the hospital, your
technician or nurse will remove the monitor. You may continue the activities
that your doctor has approved.
Where do I get the results?
Hospital patients will get the
results from their doctor. If you are an outpatient, the results will be
added to your chart. You will get your results the next time you visit your
doctor.
Copyright © 1998-2008 by
Medical Center Hospital. All rights reserved.
Medical Center Hospital
•
500 W. 4th, Odessa, Texas
79761
• (432) 640-4000