Overview

• Holter monitoring is a small, lightweight wearable device that continuously records the heart's electrical activity
• It is a portable ECG that someone can wear at home for 24–48 hours
• It captures every heartbeat across daily life: rest, activity, meals and sleep, giving the cardiologist a complete picture
• Used to detect irregular heartbeats, investigate palpitations, dizziness, or fainting, and to check whether treatments are working

Before, During and After the Procedure

Preparation

• No fasting required — eat and drink as normal
• Shower or bathe before fitting: the device must stay completely dry throughout
• Wear a comfortable, loose top; avoid creams or oils on the chest on the day of fitting
• Continue all regular medications unless specifically told otherwise by your doctor
• Inform the technician of any skin allergies (especially to adhesives)

Fitting (10–20 minutes, painless, no anaesthesia)

• Small adhesive electrode patches placed on the chest
• Connected to a recorder the size of a small mobile phone, clipped to the waist or worn as a chest patch

At Home

• Carry on your normal daily life: work, walk, sleep as usual
• The device records every heartbeat continuously
• Keep a symptom diary and note the time of any palpitations, dizziness or chest discomfort

Returning the Device

• After 24–48 hours, return the monitor to the clinic
• Patches gently removed
• Data downloaded and reviewed by the cardiologist; results typically within 1–2 weeks

Safety and Side Effects

• Most common side effects are mild skin redness or irritation under electrode patches; settles within 1–2 days of removal
• Occasional skin itching from adhesive; hypoallergenic patches available for sensitive skin
• Slight inconvenience from keeping the device dry (no showering or swimming) for 24–48 hours

Benefits

• Catches intermittent rhythm problems that a brief clinic ECG would miss
• Records your heart across all real activities: rest, exercise, meals, and sleep
• Completely non-invasive: no needles, no radiation, no hospital admission required
• Guides accurate treatment decisions and confirms whether medications are working

Lifestyle and Follow-up

• No recovery period — shower and resume all activities immediately after patches are removed
• Results obtained typically within 1–2 weeks; attend all follow-ups as advised by your cardiologist
• Contact your doctor promptly for chest pain, recurrent fainting, worsening breathlessness or any sudden neurological symptoms

Myths vs Facts

Frequently Asked Questions