Ambulatory Monitoring

Basic Facts:

  • Ambulatory cardiac monitors are small, portable machines that are able to record the heart's rhythm.
  • Each type of monitor has unique features related to length of recording time and ability to send the recordings over to the physician.
  • Cardiac monitors are used to assess your heart rhythm over time and correlate your symptoms with your heart rhythm.

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 catherization 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.

    Your Virginia Heart Care Team will provide you application and transmission instructions for your specific cardiac monitor.

    There are no post-test restrictions for cardiac monitoring. Your Virginia Heart Care Team will contact you after your submissions are complete.