Ambulatory electrocardiogram & bull; hello healthy

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Definition

What is an ambulatory electrocardiogram?

The heart produces small electrical impulses which are carried through the heart muscle to contract. These electrical impulses can be detected by an EKG machine. The machine amplifies the electrical impulses with each heartbeat and then records them on a printed sheet of paper or a computer visual screen. This process is safe and completely painless. An ambulatory electrocardiogram records the electrical activity of the heart during your daily activities (in English, ambulatory means "can walk"). Ambulatory monitors are known by several names such as ambulatory electrocardiogram, ambulatory EKG, Holter monitoring, 24-hour EKG, or cardiac event monitoring.

When should I have an ambulatory electrocardiogram?

In tests, an EKG is used to:

• monitor and record irregular heartbeats when the patient performs certain activities
• look for the cause of chest pain, dizziness, or fainting. these symptoms may be a problem with a heart defect
• detecting disruption of blood flow to the heart muscle (ischemia)
• evaluating the effectiveness of treatment for irregular heartbeat

Precautions & warnings

What should I know before having an ambulatory electrocardiogram?

Many people have irregular heartbeats from time to time. The cause depends on several aspects such as the pattern of the heartbeat, how often and how long it occurs, as well as the symptoms of a heart defect that you may have. Illnesses such as dizziness or nausea may also be caused by an irregular heartbeat. Because the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG) is safe, affordable, and provides accurate information, doctors will use it to test a patient's heart function before switching to other test kits.

Process

What should I do before undergoing an ambulatory electrocardiogram?

Many drugs can affect the results of this test. Make sure you tell your doctor about all the medicines you take (whether they are prescribed or not). Usually, an EKG is used to monitor advanced heart conditions, such as irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias). Therefore, make sure the doctor has a copy of the previous EKG results. Since the instrument shouldn't get wet, wash it before the EKG electrodes are placed on your body. Wear a loose t-shirt or blouse. Do not wear jewelry or clothing with metal buttons or buckles, as this may interfere with the test process. Women also should not wear under-bras for the same reason. The doctor will give instructions for keeping a diary. In this diary, you should record the activities you do, the symptoms you feel, and the time when these symptoms appear. The accuracy of the test results depends on this diary. This procedure will be slightly different if you are undergoing a monitor implant test under the skin. You will be given further instruction regarding the procedure for this test.

Discuss directly with your doctor about the tests you will undergo, along with the risks, processes, and results.

How is an ambulatory electrocardiogram?

It takes about 10 minutes to attach the electrodes and device to the body. Once installed, you can go about your daily activities for 24-48 hours. The recorder must be used even when you sleep, except when taking a shower (because the device must not be wet). You will be given a diary to record the times when certain symptoms appear (such as palpitations). From these notes, the doctor will analyze carefully, especially when you feel certain symptoms. This is done to see the arrhythmias that occur referring to symptoms of the disease. Your doctor may ask you to repeat some of the activities that previously caused an irregular heartbeat to confirm the diagnosis of early symptoms.

There are various types of equipment that can be used, including:

• on some manual devices, you have to press a button to indicate when the symptoms appear
• some devices automatically detect irregular heartbeats
• some recorders will send ECG chart notes via the telephone line
• some recorders are used for a longer time. This device is called an "event" monitor because it is only activated during events such as palpitations (irregular heartbeat).

What should I do after undergoing an ambulatory electrocardiogram?

If the device is installed in the morning, you will be asked to come back around 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM to disconnect the device. If the device is installed during the day, please come back around 2:00 pm-2:30pm to remove it. Your record will be processed, analyzed and interpreted by a doctor. Your doctor will discuss the test results with you.

Explanation of the Test Results

What do my test results mean?

A cardiologist or cardiac electrophysiologist will provide a description of the results of this test. New test results will be out in a few days.

Ambulatory Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)
Normal:	No heart rhythm abnormalities were found from the ECG information collected by the recorder. Your heart rate may increase when you are active and decrease when you are sleeping / resting.
Abnormal:	Ambulatory monitoring detects various types of irregular heartbeats. a slow or fast heart rhythm is detected. The combination of slow and fast heartbeats may also occur occasionally The slow heart rhythm in people with a pacemaker may be caused by sub-optimal performance of the pacemaker heart rhythm disturbances can also be caused by a lack of oxygen intake to the heart muscle (ischemia) due to narrowing of the arteries

The results of the ambulatory monitoring test will be compared with medical history records, symptoms, and other test results. You will be instructed to retest if the test results are not accurate.