Holter Monitoring Specialist

Alexander E. Kasatkin, MD, PC

Cardiologist located in Northern New Jersey, Fair Lawn, NJ

If you have signs of heart disease, but your electrocardiogram is inconclusive, your doctor might recommend Holter monitoring. The team at Alexander Kasatkin MD PC in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, provides Holter monitors to evaluate and record your heart function for 24-48 hours. If you need expert cardiovascular care in Northern New Jersey, call Dr. Kasatkin or schedule a consultation online today.

201-285-2260

Holter Monitoring Q & A

What is Holter monitoring?

A Holter monitor is an ambulatory electrocardiography device. It monitors and records your heart activity for 24-48 hours. The monitor provides more information about your heart than your physician can collect during an in-office electrocardiogram.

For example, if you have episodes of abnormal heart activity or palpitations, an in-office test might not show the irregularities. However, a longer test has a better chance of recording the issue.

Why would I need to wear a Holter monitor?

Holter monitors help the team at Alexander Kasatkin MD PC to diagnose a heart arrhythmia, like atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, or signaling disorders. Some of the signs that you might need to wear a Holter monitor include:

A fast, fluttering or irregular heartbeat
Heart palpitations
Shortness of breath
Feeling dizzy or fainting
Chest pain

Your physician might also ask you to wear a Holter monitor to make sure your medication or pacemaker is working.

What should I expect while wearing a Holter monitor?

When your doctor asks you to wear a Holter monitor, you meet with a technician who attaches the electrodes to your chest. They connect the electrodes to the device and help you put the device on. You can either wear the Holter monitor in a pouch around your neck like a camera or attach it to your waist. Some monitors are small enough to keep in a pocket.

Then, for the next 24-48 hours, you wear the Holter monitor while you go about your regular daily activities. You shouldn’t bathe, shower, or swim while wearing the monitor. It would be best if you also stayed away from:

Magnets
Metal detectors
High-voltage electrical wires
Microwaves
Electric razors and toothbrushes
Smoking or other tobacco products

You also need to keep a diary of your symptoms while you’re wearing the Holter monitor. Tracking your symptoms like dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, or heart palpitations, along with the times they occur, helps your physician match your symptoms to the recorded heart activity.

When you return the Holter monitor, your doctor reviews the recorded data and cross-references it with your symptom diary. After your doctor completes their review, they schedule an appointment to review your results and discuss the next steps in your treatment plan.

If you’re concerned about your heart health or have symptoms of a cardiac health issue, call Alexander Kasatkin MD PC or make an appointment online today for expert diagnosis, including Holter monitoring.