A Holter monitor is a battery operated wearable monitor that continuously records the electrical heart tracings over 24-48 hours. The Holter monitor can be worn throughout normal daily activities. The Holter monitor test is useful in picking up heart rhythm problems. Modern Holter monitors are small and easily wearable. there will be 2-3 leads attached to the chest wall by stickers.
- WHAT IS HOLTER MONITOR
- WHAT IS 24-HOURS HOLTER MONITORING
- HOW HOLTER MONITOR WORKS
- WHY WE USE HOLTER MONITOR (HOLTER MONITOR TEST)
- HOLTER MONITOR TEST RESULT
- PRECAUTIONS TO MAKE WHILE WEARING THE HOLTER MONITOR
- TYPES OF HOLTER MONITOR
- PROS AND CONS OF HOLTER MONITOR
- WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING AN ECG HOLTER MONITOR
- TOP 5 BRAND OF HOLTER MACINE(FEATURES & PRICE)
- HOLTER MONITOR PRICE LIST
- FINAL THOUGHTS
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS(FAQs)
WHAT IS HOLTER MONITOR
A holter monitor is a small machine and wearable device that keeps track of heart rhythm. A holter monitor uses electrodes(small, plastic patches that stick to the skin) and a recording device to track the heart’s rhythm for 24 to 72 hours. Holter monitor testing is also sometimes called ambulatory electrocardiograph (An electrocardiogram or electrocardiograph (ECG or EKG) is the same thing. An EKG is a test which examines the heart’s function by measuring the electrical activity of the heart.) The Holter monitor is a type of portable (ECG) electrocardiogram.
WHAT IS 24-HOURS HOLTER MONITORING
A small, battery-powered ECG electrocardiogram device is attached to the body. This monitors a person’s heart as they go about their daily activities.When people report symptoms (a change in your body that is a sign of illness) of heart problems, doctors often use ECGs to help diagnose the issue. A standard ECG (electrocardiogram) shows a snapshot of the heart’s overall electrical activity. If a snapshot is not sufficient, a doctor may suggest 24-hour Holter monitoring.
A Holter monitor connects to the body in much the same way as a standard electrocardiogram. The device has thin electrical cords with electrodes that are attached to areas of the chest.The doctor may order Holter monitoring for (12, 24, and 48 hours), depending on the symptoms of the heart problems and how often they occur.
HOW HOLTER MONITOR WORKS
The holter monitor is small. It is slightly larger than a deck of playing cards. Several wires are attached to the monitor. The wires connect to electrodes that are attached on the skin of the chest with a gel or glue. The metal electrodes conduct activity of the heart through the leads and into the holter monitor, when it is recorded.
WHY WE USE HOLTER MONITOR (HOLTER MONITOR TEST)
Some reasons for your healthcare provider to request a Holter monitor recording or event monitor recording include:
- To evaluate chest pain that can not be reproduced with exercise testing.
- To evaluate other signs and that may be heart-related, such as tiredness, shortness of breath,or fainting.
- To identify(check out) irregular heartbeats.
- To assess risk for future heart-related events in certain conditions, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
HOLTER MONITOR TEST RESULT
It may take about a week or longer to get the results of your test. Your doctor will go over the results with you, which may be:
Normal– it means that you have no major changes in your heart’s rhythm.
Abnormal– it means that you have some type of irregular heart rhythm or problem with your heart’s electrical system.
If you have abnormal results in the test, your doctor may want to order more tests to find out the cause.
PRECAUTIONS TO MAKE WHILE WEARING THE HOLTER MONITOR
In general patients can go about their usual day-to-day activity. Of course those wearing the monitor’s cannon swim or shower. It is also advised to stay away from metal detectors or large magnets.
TYPES OF HOLTER MONITOR
EVENT RECORDER
An event recorder is a recorder crock on the body for up to 30 days. It typically requires activation through pushing a button to record the activity of the heart.
MOBILE CARDIAC TELEMETRY (MCT)
Mobile cardiac telemetry(MCT) is a wearable (apparel) monitor that automatically detects, records, and transmits abnormal heart rhythms for up to 30 days.
INSERTABLE CARDIAC MONITOR (ICM)
An insertable cardiac monitor(ICM) is a small device placed just under the skin that automatically detects and records abnormal heart’s rhythms for up to 3 years.
Zio Monitor
Although this type of monitor operates in a similar fashion to a wireless Holter monitor, the key difference is that the Zio monitor contains its data in a single unit that can stay on a patient’s chest for up to 14 days.
Wireless Holter Monitor
This type of monitor also tends to have a longer recording time than standard Holter monitors. They do require users to write down the time of symptoms and change the batteries in the device every (1 to 2) days.
PROS AND CONS OF HOLTER MONITOR
Pros
- The possibility of quantifying the real burden of any arrhythmia.
- The detection of rhythm disturbances outside the limits set by an algorithm.
- All modern ELRs have features which allow transmission of stored ECG tracing directly.
- The diagnostic value of ELR is higher than that of the holter.
- Record ECG continuously.
Cons
- Poor patients compliance to wearing devices.
- Continuous device maintenance required.
- poor recording.
- 24-48 hours-short duration.
- Artifacts may not be discovered until test analysis.
WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING AN ECG HOLTER MONITOR
If you are thinking about buying a portable ECG monitor for home use, consider these main features before you buy:
1. Ease of use- Many heart monitors require professional fitting to ensure leads and patches are attached correctly and in the right places. QardioCore straps easily around your chest, eliminating (to remove something that is not wanted or needed) a trip to a doctor’s office.
2. Portability and size- Holter monitors prohibit showering and more intensive activities that might pull the patches away from the skin and compromise the quality of the signal captured. QardioCore is sweat-proof, and can be removed for showering or swimming.
3. Comfort- If your daily lifestyle does not allow for leads under your clothing or uncomfortable patches stuck to your skin, you might find heart monitors difficult to wear this device. QardioCore is not only free from wires and patches, but it doesn’t need the memory box necessitated by holter monitors as it uses a smartphone to store the data.
4. Accuracy- Also check if the ambulatory ECG monitor has appropriate medical clearance in your country, such as the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval in the (USA and CE Mark in Europe).
5. Price- You cannot make a better investment in your health but balancing between best price, quality and ease of use should be part of your purchasing decision. Consider how often you are likely to use it and calculate which heart monitor gives you the best value for your money.
TOP 5 BRAND OF HOLTER MACINE(FEATURES & PRICE)
Contec ECG Holter System TLC5000 (12 Lead)
- Contec ECG Holter System TLC5000 can continuously record ECG waveform for 24-hour and analyze ECG waveform by the PC software
- 12-lead system international standard
- Small volume with OLED screen and the resolution is *128.
- This ecg system is applicable for use in medical institution and community.
Pros
- The recorder can real-time store ECG data for 24-hour.
- 2)Arrhythmia analysis basing on MCSSTM and TMCATM can greatly reduce doctor’s work.
Cons
- This is not easy to set up.
- The Unit is what it claims to be. A sensitive single lead ecg.
- allows you to focus on a particular lead, but it is not a full blown medical EKG device.
Schiller MEDILOG FD12PLUS ECG Holter Machine
- P wave detection for accurate atrial fibrillation screening
- PureECG™ technology for superior signal quality
- ECHOView™ for instantaneous detection of atrial fibrillation onset
- Sleep apnoea detection with synchronised ECG, respiration waveforms and SpO2 readings
- Fire of Life™: a brilliant, new approach to Heart Rate Variability analysis
Pros
- Compact and lightweight recorder (115 gms)
- 3 channel ECG recording with 7 lead patient cable
- Runs with only one AAA battery for upto 3 days & indefinite recording mode possible
- Very high Sampling Rate of 8000 Hz with 15 bit resolution for gold standard Atrial analysis
Cons
- The study is virtually of risk, except for a small chance of skin irritation at the site of electrode placement.
- It study is not always the best kind of ambulatory ECG monitoring to perform.
Rms Ecg holter Monitor Cordis 3
- 3 Channel ECG Holter monitoring
- 24 hrs recording on latest SDHC Cards
- LED indication for data storage/device status
- Works on 2 nos of 1.5V (AA) LR6 Alkaline batteries
- Pacemaker Detection
- Full Disclosure Display
- Template Editing
- ST analysis with 3D Graph
Pros
- Connection to USB: Female Micro USB
- LED indication for data storage/device status
- Connection to Patch/Electrode: Custom 8 terminal connector
Cons
- The information recorded by it can help determine whether you have a heart condition or may reveal symptoms that can lead to severe health issues.
CONTEC TLC 9803 HOLTER ECG SYSTEM
- With Advance Design And Technology. The Recorder Can Work Stably, Dependable And Durably.
- Be Provided With The Capability Of Anti-jamming And Aseismatic.
Pros
- Accurate record of the start time of the data sampled owing to the real time clock of itself.
- Avoid damage owing to the repeating inserting and pulling out by using the inbuilt TFcard to storage the data
Cons
- Continuous device maintenance required.
- poor recording ability.
Edan Holter SE -2012
- Real-time waveforms display on the recorder.
- 3/12-channel digital recording.
- Full disclosure of waveforms.
Automatic and manual edit patients data.- Arrhythmia analysis.
- Atrial Fibrillation Analysis.
Pros
- Up to 7 days recording with only one AAA battery
- Data download via micro SD card or USB cable
- Arrhythmia analysis
- ST segment analysis and myocardial ischemia evaluation
Cons
- 24-48 hours-short duration.
- Artifacts may not be discovered until test analysis.
HOLTER MONITOR PRICE LIST
| S.N. | Product name | Price |
| 1. | Contec Portable ECG Heart rate Machine/Monitor PM10, Electrocardiograph ECG Holter Monitor Handheld | ₹9,296.00 |
| 2. | Contec 12 Channels ECG Holter Monitor TLC5000 , 24 Hours Holter Monitor | ₹38,500.00 |
| 3. | Spacelabs Lifecard CF Monitor, 3Channel/12Channel ECG Holter Monitor | ₹40,876.00 |
| 4. | CONTEC 8000G 12-Lead/3-lead vector ECG workstation sync PC based software analyse | ₹44,876.00 |
| 5. | Contec 3 Channel Holter Monitor, TLC9803 Dynamic ECG Systems | ₹35,500.00 |
| 6. | Biocare IH-12Plus Holter Monitor (Optional Software) | ₹89,752.32 |
| 7. | Nasan Reveala 3 Holter Monitor, 3Channel Holter Monitor | ₹117,192.32 |
| 8. | Nasan Reveala 12 Holter Monitor, 12 Channel Holter | ₹153,863.36 |
| 9. | Contec Medical Dynamic 12 Channel Ecg Holter Monitor TLC6000, 48 hour Holter Monitor | ₹41,000.00 |
| 10. | Contec Cardiac Holter Monitor, TLC 9803 ECG Holter Monitor | ₹35,500.00 |
FINAL THOUGHTS
Final thoughts- In patients with non-specific symptoms, Holter monitoring has a significant role in the primary diagnosis of myocardial ischaemia or arrhythmia as a cause of such symptoms in the older age groups.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS(FAQs)
A Holter monitor can detect abnormal heartbeats and other abnormal EKG changes that a standard EKG can miss.
Cell phones and MP3 players can also interfere with the signals and should be kept at least 6 inches away from the monitor box.
The long-term Zio monitor detects over 99% of arrhythmias in 14 days compared to only 47% captured by short-term Holter monitors in 2 days. The latest clinical study validates the Zio monitor’s superior data accuracy
Prior to attaching the electrodes the skin must be clean, dry and hair free. The chest may be cleaned with normal saline/warm soapy water to remove any oily residue, or hair on the chest may need to be shaved, to ensure the electrodes stick well.
On MDsave, the cost of a Holter Monitoring ranges from $190 to $355.
The device records the changes in blood pressure over a 24-hour period.
A 24 hour or a 48 hour holter monitor for you. The monitor will automatically turn off after the prescribed time and you must return the monitor 24 hours after the test is complete.
| ECG | HOLTER MONITOR |
| An electrocardiogram (abbreviated as EKG or ECG) is a test that measures the electrical activity of the heartbeat. | It measures and records heart activity (electrocardiogram or ECG) continuously for several days. |
| ECGs are often done in a doctor’s office, a clinic, or a hospital room. | The ambulatory cardiac monitor that doctors traditionally use is called a Holter monitor. |
Thank you, it is very informative and knowledgeble content.
Thank you, it is very informative and knowledgeble content.