Ambulatory heart monitoring helps us track your heart’s rhythm continuously while you go about your daily activities. It identifies irregular heartbeats, hidden arrhythmias, and other disturbances that might not appear during a brief office visit, giving us the information needed to diagnose and prevent serious heart conditions early.
Record your heart’s
activity over time
Ambulatory heart monitoring is a diagnostic tool that records your heart’s electrical activity over an extended period, typically 24 hours to 30 days, while you carry out daily routines. Unlike an in-office diagnostic test, it provides a continuous picture of how your heart functions during rest, activity, and sleep. This helps our physicians detect irregular heart rhythms, arrhythmias, or other abnormalities that may not show up during a brief exam, allowing for more accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment planning.
Ambulatory Heart Monitoring Identifies:
- Irregular heart rhythms such as atrial fibrillation or flutter
- Abnormally fast, slow, or skipped heartbeats
- Silent arrhythmias that occur without symptoms
- Rhythm disturbances linked to dizziness or fainting
- Episodes of palpitations, chest discomfort, or shortness of breath
- Changes in heart rhythm during sleep, exercise, or daily activity
- Effectiveness of treatments or medications over time
Why is ambulatory heart monitoring done
Ambulatory heart monitoring is done to capture a more complete picture of how your heart functions outside the clinic. Since heart rhythm problems may not always appear during a brief office test, continuous monitoring helps reveal irregularities that occur during activities, exercise, or sleep. This allows our physicians to make more accurate diagnoses and tailor treatment.
You may need ambulatory heart monitoring if:
- You experience unexplained fainting or dizziness
- You have episodes of rapid or irregular heartbeat
- You report chest discomfort or shortness of breath
- You are being evaluated for possible arrhythmias
- You need to check how treatments or medications are working
Types of ambulatory heart monitoring available
Holter Monitoring
Holter monitoring is a common type of ambulatory heart monitoring that records your heart’s electrical activity continuously, usually for 24 to 48 hours. You’ll wear a small, portable device with electrodes attached to your chest, allowing us to capture every heartbeat during your daily routine. This test is especially useful for detecting irregular rhythms, skipped beats, or silent arrhythmias that may not appear during a standard ECG. This helps our physicians identify patterns and guide appropriate treatment for your heart health.
Event Monitoring
Event monitoring is another form of ambulatory heart monitoring that captures irregular heart rhythms that may not occur daily. The device is worn for weeks or even a month and is activated when you feel symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, or chest discomfort. Some devices automatically detect abnormal rhythms and record them without manual input. This approach provides valuable insight into infrequent arrhythmias, helping our physicians connect your symptoms to heart activity and recommend the right treatment.
Telemetry
Telemetry is an extended form of ambulatory heart monitoring that can track your heart’s rhythm continuously for up to 30 days. You’ll wear a lightweight, wireless device that sends data directly to our monitoring system, allowing us to review your heart’s activity in real time. This makes it valuable for detecting arrhythmias that occur sporadically or without obvious symptoms. By providing a detailed, long-term view of your heart function, telemetry helps our physicians diagnose hidden conditions and make informed decisions.
Interpreting Your Ambulatory Heart Monitoring Results
Once your ambulatory heart monitoring period is complete, we carefully analyze every recording to detect irregular heart rhythms, skipped beats, or hidden arrhythmias. Our physicians look for patterns that connect your symptoms, such as dizziness, chest pain, or palpitations, to changes in your heart’s electrical activity.
We then use this information to create a clear diagnosis and determine whether you need treatment, lifestyle changes, or further testing. This personalized approach ensures we address the root cause of your symptoms and help protect your long-term heart health.
Schedule your consultation
California Cardiac Institute is dedicated to giving you answers about your heart health through advanced diagnostics and personalized care. With our cutting-edge ambulatory heart monitoring options, including Holter monitoring, event monitoring, and telemetry, we can detect hidden heart rhythm problems and guide your treatment. We offer same-day appointments and welcome walk-ins, making it easier for you to get the care you need. Take a proactive step in protecting your heart: schedule your consultation at our Glendale location.
