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Most people think that EKG tests are only available in hospitals and or in medical offices. However, there is an ambulatory EKG monitor, commonly known as a Holter monitor (named after its inventor, Dr. Norman J. Holter), that is portable and mobile, and can be worn by a patient outside of a medical facility.
This cardiac monitor enables doctors to monitor a patient for an extended period of time. It can be worn for a time period of 24 hours up to a month. It can produce more accurate results than a traditional EKG because it monitors the heart’s reaction to everyday stress and activities. For this reason, doctors say that it provides a more thorough assessment of the way the heart functions.

An ambulatory EKG uses as few as three electrodes to record data. It is designed to diagnose heart conditions that would be difficult to observe with a traditional EKG machine. A patient with an occasional arrhythmia is more easily diagnosed and treated which can help a patient to avoid further complications.

A patient wearing a Holter monitor can record data by simply pressing a button. Doctors instruct their patients to use the device to begin recording whenever they believe that there is a change in their cardiac rate. Patients are normally required to keep a journal to record any pertinent information, such as the symptom experienced, what physical activity was taking place when the symptom occurred, the exact date and time a symptom occurred, and how long the symptoms lasted.

The information provided to a physician from a patient’s journal records and from the recording of the Holter monitor can diagnose or rule out carious cardiac conditions such as:

· Bradycardia
· Atrial fibrillation
· Ventricular tachycardia
· Multifocal atrial tachycardia
· Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia

The Holter monitor poses no risks to the patient, and is relatively easy to use. It is important that patients stay in contact with their physicians and avoid getting the monitor wet.

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The leading cause of death in the United States is from a heart attack (myocardial infarction) which is the result of an interruption of blood flow through the heart due to a blockage in a coronary artery. Both males and females are at risk for heart disease and a large amount of the population will likely suffer from a form of the disease at some point in their lifetime.

The heart is the most important organ in the body, and heart problems can be more vital than practically any other health condition. Fatal heart attacks can often be prevented, even in people who are high-risk patients by maintaining healthy lifestyle choices and by having regular medical visits with a physician.

The American Heart Association (AHA) strongly recommends that individuals who have a genetic family history of heart disease take preventative measures by refraining from smoking, exercising regularly, following a nutritious diet to maintain a healthy weight, and by having regular EKG testing.

To ensure the health of one’s heart, annual exams should include:

· Checking blood pressure
· A complete blood test
· Stress test (with the patient hooked up to and EKG machine)

EKG machines are not only used as preventative diagnostic tools. They also can aid doctors and other medical professionals in post-heart attack treatment. On the occasion that a patient unknowingly has a heart attack, the ECG waves are able to detect signs of a previous attack, thereby providing valuable information that could assist doctors and patients in preventing a more severe attack at a later time. In addition, EKG machines are also used to evaluate the damage of a heart attack by recording the duration and strength of the electrical signals produced by the heart and how quickly the heart pumps blood through the body.

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