Ambulatory Cardiac Monitoring

Basic Facts:

  • Ambulatory cardiac monitors are small, portable devices that can record the heart's electrical activity. It’s like a walking electrocardiogram (ECG) that is worn for a longer period of time. 

  • This includes previous Holter monitoring and event monitoring, now consolidated into one wireless device. 

  • Cardiac monitoring is used to assess an ECG over time and to see if a patient’s symptoms correlate with any abnormality in the heart’s rate or rhythm. 

  • Monitors are worn constantly for one day to one month, depending frequency of symptoms or what is being evaluated.  

There are multiple different types of cardiac monitors. These include:

  • Holter Monitor: a portable ECG recorder that you wear during your normal daily activities, including sleeping, usually for a few days. 
  • Event Monitor or Mobile Cardiac Telemetry: A device worn during normal daily activities including sleeping. This device is worn for a longer period of time. 
  • Implantable Loop Recorder: An implanted device that can record the heart rhythm for months or years.
  • CardioMEMS: This is a small sensor that is placed by cardiac catheterization into one of the arteries that goes from the heart to the lungs. It is used to measure pressure within that artery and this gives your doctor information about how much fluid you have in your system. Information from that sensor is sent to a small pillow which then transmits the information to your doctor. Your medications can be adjusted to keep fluid from building up.

    • The monitors Virginia Heart uses are wireless stickers that communicate to a paired smart phone.  

    • The sticker is usually worn just below the left collarbone. The skin needs to be free of lotions or oils, and shaving of the area may be needed to maintain adequate skin contact. Otherwise, no special preparation is required. 

    • The monitor comes in a self-contained package with everything needed, including instructions on cleaning the skin, applying the monitor, and pairing and charging the smart phone. All of our monitors are through VitalConnect, and further resources can be found here:  Resources - VitalConnect 

    • The monitor can be applied by the patient at home, at the visit when it’s ordered, or an appointment can be scheduled with our clinical team for those who may need assistance with it.  

    • The monitor is worn constantly during the day and night, not removed until the end of the designated monitoring period. 

    • The monitor is considered water resistant, not waterproof. Showering and exercise is okay, but do not submerge the monitor in water (no swimming or baths). 

    • At the end of the monitoring period, the patient sends it back with its paired smartphone via US mail in the pre-paid package provided. 

    • Virginia Heart Care Team will contact the patient with results in 3 to 5 business days after it is in the mail.