Holter Monitor

Your doctor has ordered a holter monitor for you. The purpose of this test is to determine the presence and severity of disturbance in your heart rhythm. The monitor can correlate heart rhythm disturbances with symptoms you may be having, such as dizziness, palpitations, or fainting spells. The test involves placing ECG wires attached to a box, similar to a small tape recorder, on your chest. You will wear this for 24 - 48 hours. You will be asked to keep a diary and record any symptoms you have, and what you were doing when they occurred. The test will then be analyzed, and symptoms will be correlated with any disturbances in your heart's rhythm.