Zio® XT Cardiac Monitor in Leicester

The Zio XT is a small, wire-free patch you wear on your chest to record your heart's rhythm continuously for up to 14 days. It's external and non-invasive, so there's no pain and nothing to recover from once it's fitted.

Why might I need a Zio XT cardiac monitor?

This monitor helps your doctor find out whether you have an arrhythmia, which is when your heart beats irregularly. It can:

• beat faster than normal (tachycardia, over 100 beats per minute)
• beat slower than normal (bradycardia, under 60 beats per minute)
• miss beats or beat irregularly.

The most common arrhythmia in the UK is atrial fibrillation (AF), which affects more than 1.2 million people. The monitor can also detect pauses and slow rhythms, fast rhythms, and less common arrhythmias such as ventricular tachycardia.

You might be offered this test whether or not you have symptoms. Some people notice palpitations, breathlessness, dizziness, light-headedness, fainting or near-fainting, fatigue, chest pain or anxiety, often coming and going unpredictably. Others have no symptoms at all.

Because a standard ECG only captures a brief snapshot, and irregular rhythms can be infrequent, a much longer recording period gives a far better chance of either capturing an arrhythmia or ruling one out.

What are the benefits of a Zio XT cardiac monitor?

The Zio XT records continuously for up to 14 days, considerably longer than a standard Holter monitor, giving a much better chance of capturing an infrequent or intermittent arrhythmia in a single recording.

It's water-resistant and can be worn under your clothing, so you can continue showering, exercising and sleeping as normal, without the wires or bulk of a traditional Holter monitor. NICE has recommended it for people who would benefit from heart monitoring for longer than 24 hours.

Are there different types of heart rhythm monitor?

• Zio XT: A wire-free adhesive patch worn on the chest, recording continuously for up to 14 days and worn under your clothes
• Holter monitor: A traditional continuous ECG monitor, usually worn for 24 to 48 hours (occasionally up to 7 days), typically carried in a pouch or worn around the neck
• Implantable loop recorder (ILR): Used for much longer-term monitoring, up to around 3 years, but this is an invasive device inserted under the skin by a clinician, and doesn't have a patient button to mark symptoms.

Your doctor will recommend the option that best suits how often your symptoms occur and how long you need to be monitored.

How do I prepare for a Zio XT cardiac monitor?

It helps to note down your symptoms before your appointment, including how often they happen and what they feel like, so your doctor can make sure this is the right test for you.

No fasting or other special preparation is needed, and fitting the device only takes a few minutes.

What happens when the Zio XT is fitted?

1. The upper left side of your chest is bared, and the skin is prepared with light abrasion and an alcohol wipe, with any chest hair shaved if needed, so the patch sticks well.
2. The patch is pressed onto your clean, dry skin, following a simple guide, which takes a few minutes.
3. You wear the device continuously for the time your clinician advises, up to a maximum of 14 days, going about your normal daily life.
4. Whenever you notice a symptom, you press the button on the device to mark it in the recording; the monitor records every heartbeat throughout, whether or not you press the button.

Avoid showering or heavy exercise for the first 24 hours to let the patch fully adhere. After that, you can shower, exercise and sleep as normal, since the device is water-resistant, though it shouldn't be fully submerged.

What happens after wearing a Zio XT cardiac monitor?

Once your wear time is up, remove the device following the instructions provided, and post it back to iRhythm using the pre-paid return packaging.

Your doctor usually receives a full report within a few days of the device arriving back with iRhythm. They'll be in touch, either with the results directly or to arrange a follow-up appointment, along with any further advice, treatment or tests you might need.

What are the risks or side effects?

As the monitor is external and non-invasive, there's no pain and no recovery period involved.

• Some people notice mild skin irritation or itching under the patch. Contact your consultant or GP if this becomes severe, or if you develop hives or blisters
• In hot weather or with heavy sweating, the patch can occasionally come loose before your wear time is complete. This isn't a safety concern, but let your clinical team know so they can advise on what to do next.