A 24-hour Holter test is performed to map the activities of your heart. Much like an ECG, it detects the electrical activities in your heart and gives information about your heart’s health. It records your heart’s activities continuously for 24 hours. The test is also known as ambulatory electrocardiography or ambulatory ECG.
Who Needs A 24-Hour Holter Test?
24-hour Holter tests are most commonly advised to people who are suspected of having arrhythmia or people who use an implanted device. The test will help understand the heart’s functioning throughout the day – much needed in cases where a few minutes of ECG is not sufficient to detect the problem in your heart.
It can also be advised for people who suffer from unexplained dizziness or fainting spells. The test also helps heart patients in understanding what kind of exercises are safe and beneficial for their hearts and to what extent they can push their limits.
A 24-hour Holter test can be very beneficial for patients who have recently been discharged after a surgery. This way, your cardiologist will always be aware of your health and can notify you if you need to come in for a checkup. F
Nowadays, people who seek cardio consults online, are often recommended this test so that the doctor can give a better diagnosis without doing any physical exam on the patient.
How Is A 24-Hour Holter Test Done?
To prepare for the test, the doctor might ask you to just lead your normal lifestyle the day before or you may be asked to refrain from certain food, drinks, or medicine that might hamper the test results. On the day of the test, wear comfortable clothing so that your chest is easily accessible by the technician.
The technician will clean your chest area and attach the electrodes with an adhesive. You may feel a bit of tugging as he adjusts them, but it is, in no way, painful. Once the electrodes are in place, he will give you the Holter machine that you will wear on your shoulder or your waist. Post that, you can go about your day as you would on any normal day. All you have to do is keep a record of the symptoms you feel during the day and when you feel them. Some machines also come with a button that you can press when you are experiencing a symptom.
Twenty-four hours later, you go back to the lab and they detach the device from your body. Your cardiologist will check the record, especially the times that you have noted down to make a diagnosis and suggest you the best course of treatment!