Cardiac monitoring refers to diagnostic tests that monitor your heart’s electrical activity over time. An electrical impulse traveling from the upper chambers of your heart to the lower chambers sets your heartbeat. The rhythm of your heartbeat influences the movement of blood through these chambers.
An electrocardiogram (EKG) is a diagnostic tool that records the heart’s electrical activity. For cardiac monitoring, Dr. Farah uses portable EKG devices.
Dr. Farah recommends cardiac monitoring for patients who may have arrhythmia. Arrhythmias are heart conditions that cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow, or irregularly. Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) and ventricular tachycardia are types of arrhythmias.
Dr. Farah also recommends periodic cardiac monitoring for her patients with arrhythmia so she can monitor the effectiveness of your treatment plan or for changes.
For cardiac observation, Dr. Farah uses the Holter monitor, event monitor, and telemetry monitoring.
The Holter monitor is a portable EKG that continuously records your heart’s electrical activity. You can wear a Holter monitor for a day or up to two weeks.
The Holter monitor includes electrodes Dr. Farah attaches to your chest and connects to the portable EKG device you put in your pocket or wear on your waist.
Dr. Farah may recommend a Holter monitor if she suspects you have an arrhythmia, but she can’t detect it during your in-office EKG.
An event monitor only records the electrical activity of your heart when it’s activated. Dr. Farah may recommend the event monitor if your arrhythmia symptoms occur occasionally.
With the event monitor, Dr. Farah places electrodes on your chest, which connect to the portable EKG device. The monitor records heart activity when you activate it or when the device detects abnormalities.
With advances in technology, some event monitors connect to apps on smart devices, allowing Dr. Farah to see the abnormal activity when it’s happening.
Telemetry monitoring is a portable EKG device that monitors electrical heart activity to detect arrhythmias then transmits the abnormal readings to a central location. Dr. Farah may recommend telemetry monitoring for patients after they’ve had a heart attack or following surgery.
To schedule cardiac monitoring at Bentley Heart, call the office in Fort Worth, Texas, or book an appointment online today.