Holter monitor at Parkside Hospital

A Holter monitor is a small, portable medical device that continuously records your heart’s electrical activity (your ECG or EKG) over a longer period than a standard ECG in a clinic would, usually 24 to 48 hours, although some versions can record for several days.

Unlike an ECG, which only captures a few seconds, a Holter monitor:

• Tracks your heart rhythm continuously 
• Detects irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) that might not show up during a short test
• Records how your heart behaves during normal daily activities like walking, sleeping, or exercising.

Why is a Holter monitor used?

A Holter monitor helps doctors investigate:

• Palpitations or a feeling of a racing/skipping heart
• Dizziness or fainting (syncope)
• Suspected arrhythmias (like atrial fibrillation)
• How well heart treatments or medications are working.

How does a Holter monitor work?

Most modern Holter monitors include lightweight adhesive patches worn comfortably on the chest. These are connected to a portable recording device, about the size of a phone, which you wear on a belt on strap.

Doctors may ask you to keep a diary of symptoms (e.g., dizziness, palpitations) to match them with the recorded data.

Advantages of a Holter monitor

• Gives a real-world picture of heart activity
• Can catch intermittent problems that don’t appear during a clinic visit
• Non-invasive and painless.