This is a continuous recording of the heart rhythm for a day. You have three ECG electrodes placed on your body linked to a tape recorder. We encourage you to have as normal a day as possible though swimming would be difficult. We use a 24 hour Holter to look for abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and to see how fast and slow someone’s heart goes. If you have any symptoms at all whilst wearing the tape we can link them to the heart rhythm and see if they are connected so in fact the more symptoms you have whilst wearing the tape the better! We use Holter recordings to investigate symptoms of palpitations, dizziness and blackouts and sometimes to check that a patient with a serious heart condition is not at risk from dangerous rhythm disturbances of the heart.
Often a 24 hour Holter will show that a patient’s palpitations are just due to extra heart beats called extra-systoles which are rarely of concern.