How is a Heart's Rhythm Monitored
Once the patient feels symptoms, he pushes the control button of the heart event monitor for it to start recording the rhythm of his heart. The rhythm initiates an electric activity that brings about a surge of electrodes that is caught by the monitoring devices or wires attached on the chest area of the patient. The activity of these electrodes is then transmitted--through the wires or through wireless connections--to the monitoring device. All the event recordings can be heard by the doctor via the telephone. This will help him determine if his patient is actually experiencing any kind of arrhythmia or abnormalities in heart rhythm. The recordings of the event monitor help doctors provide accurate analysis on their patients' conditions even via telephone call.
Limitations
Heart event monitors depend on their ECG wires to effectively catch the electric signals created by the heart's rhythm. These wires are meant to be attached to the chest area near the heart by stickers. The accuracy of the device basically depends on how well the setup catches up with the electric signals delivered by the heart's rhythm. The sweat and oil on the skin may cause the stickers to detach, which is why most event monitoring setups use sticky patches instead of stickers. In addition, the recording process requires clear and uninterrupted transmission lines.
As a solution, the device should stay away from radios, cell phones or other electronic devices which can interfere with its recording operations. Movements might pull the patches away from the chest area. In this light, patients are advised to stop whatever they may be doing to allow the device to fully record his heart's rhythm during the events when symptoms occur.
Monitor Yourself
Although the device is pretty much reliable, a patient is not advised to solely rely on the device to monitor his condition. He needs to keep a diary to take note of the time he feels the symptoms and his doctor's analysis on the event. This is extremely helpful in monitoring his treatment's progress as well as the efficacy of his medications, if there are any. Keeping notes of your recurrent heart condition as well as the medications you have taken with it will help your doctor recommend more effective treatment, and more effective ways by which you can manage and gradually improve your heart problems.
Tags: heart rhythm, chest area, attached chest, attached chest area, away from, electric signals