Electrocardiogram Electrocardiogram book | Page 4

Event Monitor (Event Recorder) The event monitor works with the Holter monitor. This device may be worn during normal activities, including sleeping and showering. However, you may not swim or submerge the device under water. The difference is that the event monitor is worn for a longer period of time and is used to detect abnormal heart rhythms that occur only occasionally. • A patch is worn in the upper left portion of your chest, or three small electrodes are attached to your chest. Wires are attached from the electrodes to a sensor about the size of small rock. This device communicates with a cellular phone to transmit your recordings to a monitoring center. • If any symptoms are felt while wearing the device, you will record them on the cellular phone’s touch screen. Symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, and fainting may be recorded, along with the type of activity you were performing when the symptom(s) occurred. • You should arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment. Mobile Cardiac Outpatient Telemetry (MCOT) An MCOT device continuously monitors your heart rhythm. You may wear it during your normal activities, including sleeping and showering. However, you may not swim or submerge the device under water. The duration of this monitor is 7 to 30 days. A patch with a small sensor is worn on the upper left area of the chest, or a three-lead option that is worn around the neck is also available. • Keep the area where the patch or electrodes are clean and free of any creams or lotions. For men, keep the area free of any hair. This can affect the connection of electrodes to the skin of the device. • The sensor communicates with a small cellular phone that keeps track of your heart rhythm and then sends the information to a monitoring center that operates 24/7. • The cellular phone’s touch screen is where you will record any symptoms that occur while wearing the device, such as heart racing, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, and fainting. The symptoms you record are transmitted to the monitoring center and documented on your report. • When the monitor detects an abnormal heart rhythm, it sends your ECG to the monitoring center. Once the ECG has been analyzed by a certified technician, a report is created, and the doctor is notified of the event. • You should arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment.