HOLTER
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Indications
- documenting symptomatic & asymptomatic arrhythmias in relationship to daily activities
- arrhythmia should occur at least daily*[2]
- assessing the ventricular response to atrial fibrillation
- assessing pacemaker function
- confirming episodes of myocardial ischemia, not associated with angina pectoris
* use event recorder if symptomatic arrhythmia occurs less frequently than daily
Adverse effects
- device limits patient activities[2]
Procedure
- continuous monitoring of the electrocardiogram is conducted for a 24-48 hour period (generally 24 hours)
- patient log allows correlation with symptoms
Interpretation
Highly probable pathologic rhythms:
- sustained ventricular tachycardia
- 2nd or 3rd degree heart block
- prolonged pauses of > 3 seconds
Possibly pathologic rhythms:
- brief runs of atrial fibrillation
- supraventricular tachycardia
- non-sustained ventricular tachycardia
- frequent in elderly without syncope or presyncope
- significant if symptoms accompany dysrhythmia