Holter monitor 24-hour study

A Holter monitor is an ECG recording done over a period of 24 or more hours. Three electrodes are attached to the chest and connected to a small portable ECG recorder by lead wires.

A person may go about his or her usual daily activities during this procedure except for activities such as taking a shower, swimming, or anything else that would cause excessive moisture, which would cause the electrodes to become loose or fall off.

There are two types of Holter monitoring

Continuous recording

The ECG is recorded continuously during the entire testing period.

Event monitor or loop recording

The ECG is recorded only when the patient starts the recording, whenever symptoms arise.

Your physician might order Holter monitoring if arrhythmia is suspected but not seen on a resting or signal-average ECG.

Because arrhythmias can be transient in nature, they sometimes go unseen during the shorter recording times of the resting or signal-average ECG.)