A 14-day Holter monitor is a type of electrocardiogram(ECG) monitor that records the electrical activity of your heartcontinuously over a 14-day period. Many cardiologists believe that a 14-day ECGHolter monitor has better diagnostic value compared to Holter monitors thatonly record cardiac activity over a shorter period, such as 24 hours, 48 hours,72 hours and 7 days. An ECG Holter monitor is a small, portable device thatattaches to your chest and is carried around with you for 14 days. Holtermonitors are primarily used to diagnose different types of arrhythmias, alsoknown as irregular heartbeats. If you are experiencing symptoms consistent withan arrhythmia, such as palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness orfainting, a 14-day Holter monitor can help to detect any abnormalities andallow your cardiologist to make an accurate diagnosis. Every time your heart beats, an electrical signal starts atthe top of your heart and travels to the bottom. This electrical signaltriggers a heartbeat. Abnormalities in the electrical signals could result inyour heart not beating correctly and issues with the way the blood flows aroundyour heart. A 14-day Holter monitor may be recommended if you requirelong-term monitoring, for example, if your symptoms don’t appear daily or ifthey manifest inconsistently. Many arrhythmias are infrequent and may not bedetected by other cardiac tests, such as traditional electrocardiograms (ECGs)that only offer a snapshot of your heart’s activity. 14-day monitoring may berecommended if you have previously had an ECG that didn’t record any abnormalresults or provide enough information about your heart. The monitor records the electrical activity of your heart overa prolonged period. It will record your heart rate and rhythm and allow yourdoctor to assess your heart function and your overall cardiac health. Long-term, continuous monitoring allows the cardiologist tocollect more information. If an arrhythmia occurs, a 14-day monitor is morelikely to capture the unusual electrical activity and allows a more accuratediagnosis.
It is important that you maintain all your normal activities during the 14-days you are being monitored. You may be asked to keep a diary of the types of activities you are doing, how you feel and any symptoms that you experience. This allows the cardiologist to match the results of the tests to your recordings and make a more accurate diagnosis.
Once your 14-days are finished and your monitoring is complete, a courier will collect the device so the results can be analysed by our expert heart doctor. The results will be compared to any notes you have made during the monitoring period. The cardiologist will compare the recordings to your symptoms to enable him to make a more accurate diagnosis. You will be contacted with your results within 48 hours of the clinic receiving the Holter monitor back and the cardiologists will discuss the results with you in detail.
