A 24-hour Holter monitor is a small wearable recorder that continuously captures your heart’s electrical activity for a full day and night. It is used when a standard ECG in the clinic has not caught the problem, or when your doctor wants to know how your heart behaves during your normal daily activities.
What to Expect
At a brief clinic appointment, a technician will place several small electrode patches on your chest and connect them to a recorder worn in a pouch around your neck or clipped to your belt. You will be given a symptom diary to fill in during the monitoring period, noting the time of any palpitations, dizziness, or breathlessness. After 24 hours you return the device and your cardiologist analyses the full recording.
Daily Life
You can go about your normal activities while wearing the monitor. Avoid showering, bathing, or swimming during the 24-hour period, as water will damage the device.
Is it Safe?
Yes. The Holter monitor only records — it does not deliver any electrical current. There are no risks associated with wearing it.