5 Major Benefits of Holter Monitoring

Cardiac testing doesn't have to be invasive or painful. A Holter monitor is an excellent option for investigating heart problems or symptoms related to heart disease. It's a simple tool that feeds real-time data on your heartbeat.

At the Heart Clinic of Hammond, Dr. Ghiath Mikdadi and Dr. Farid Zayed offer cardiac interventions and diagnostic tools, including Holter monitoring, ECGs, and echocardiograms.

What is a Holter monitor?

A Holter monitor is a small device you wear on your chest to deliver real-time information on your heart health. It's noninvasive and allows you to go about normal activities while we receive data on your heart.

The monitor is battery-powered and consists of wires, electrodes, and a small device that tracks your heart's activity for a day or two. The information is uploaded to our system to view any abnormalities in your heart rate or rhythm.

Many people can benefit from Holter monitoring, including those with signs of a heart arrhythmia, fainting for no known cause, or to see how cardiac medications are working.

Before wearing the Holter monitor, we perform an ECG to see an immediate reading of the heart rate and rhythm. However, the Holter monitor can pick up runs of an arrhythmia that may not show up on an ECG.

How a Holter monitor works

A Holter monitor is a simple, noninvasive device that is not painful. It connects to the chest using conductive electrodes that catch the heart's electrical signals.

These signals appear as a heartbeat, which has specific requirements to be healthy and regular. The monitor continuously records while you're wearing it to catch anything that may not show up on other testing in the office.

It's a comprehensive way to see how your heart reacts to certain physical and exercise activities. The monitor also shows us what your heart is doing at rest, which gives us crucial information about cardiac well-being.

You wear the device for one to two days or more if necessary. The device continually records and sends the data to our team during that time.

Significant advantages of a Holter monitor

A Holter monitor has many advantages over other cardiac testing, specifically that it's noninvasive and painless. We often use it as a diagnostic tool when other tests don't provide the expected results.

Other significant benefits of wearing a Holter monitor for cardiac testing include the following:

1. Detects irregular heartbeats

Irregular heartbeats, or arrhythmias, can lead to serious issues without treatment. Still, you may not know you have them without the proper testing. Some people have vague symptoms that could signal various problems.

The Holter monitor provides accurate information on your heartbeat, which can help determine if an arrhythmia is causing your symptoms.

2. Helps predict future cardiac problems

A Holter monitor is also great for predicting future cardiac problems or events. We utilize information on irregularities and specific patterns that could cause an issue like a heart attack or stroke.

3. Investigates worrisome symptoms

Specific symptoms signal a problem with the heart, but not all tests provide conclusive results. If you have dizziness, chest pain, or periods of shortness of breath without explanation, a Holter monitor can detect these issues.

4. Helps diagnose cardiac problems

A Holter monitor is an excellent diagnostic tool that comes in handy when other tests fail to give us the necessary answers. It evaluates blood flow and the electrical system to provide crucial information about cardiac issues.

5. Monitors cardiac blood flow

A Holter monitor provides invaluable information about coronary blood flow if we suspect coronary artery disease or ischemia. The rhythms we see while you wear the monitor allow us to observe how the heart pumps blood throughout the body.

Don't hesitate to call the Heart Clinic of Hammond team today in Hammond or Amite, Louisiana, to discuss Holter monitoring or request an appointment on our website.