What are the indications for a holter monitor?How does it examine the heartbeat?How to prepare for it?All the answers.A holter is a small portable device intended to collect the heart rate and its anomalies (extrasystoles, tachycardia, bradycardia, etc.) of a patient over a period of 1 to several days depending on the doctor's indication.There are two types of device.We distinguish the holter ECG (Electrocardiogram), no bigger than a computer mouse, for a short use which can go from 24 to 96 hours, then the long duration holter (smaller), usable over 1 month.The holter is used after examination by the cardiologist, in screening for heart rhythm disorders either persistent or paroxysmal (by flare-ups) such as palpitations or extrasystoles.It can also be indicated in the follow-up of patients known to have a heart rhythm disorder in order to check the effectiveness of the treatment and the tolerance of the latter (by ensuring the absence of excessive slowing of the heart rate). cardiac).The holter can possibly check the proper functioning of a pacemaker.It can also be used as part of an assessment of discomfort with loss of consciousness with or without warning signs.Neurologists may be required to request the placement of a holter, from a cardiologist, in the face of a report of discomfort or stroke."Indeed, a heart disease (heart disease) is likely to generate the formation of small migratory clots", indicates doctor Christophe Bosquet.The holter can also be placed in children for the same reasons as in adults.The small box has 5 wires connected to adhesive patches called electrodes.Each of the electrodes is then applied (by the cardiologist or a paramedic) to various conventional skin sites on the patient's thorax in order to collect the electrical activity of the heart.Once in place, the device is concealed in a single-use case that the patient can slip into their pocket or attach to their belt.The recording will be done continuously over 1 to 4 days with the obligation to keep it on you day and night but also the prohibition to practice a water sport or even to take a shower.Beyond 24 hours, a shower is possible provided you disconnect the holter for a few moments and replace the electrode patches."I advise my patients to take a selfie before removing the electrodes so that they can be replaced after washing, in exactly the same places", specifies the cardiologist.The patient also has the possibility on this type of holter to affix marks on the recording by pressing a button on the box, in particular if he feels a symptom."This marker will be a valuable indication for the cardiologist when deciphering the sequence", specifies the specialist.The recording is not carried out continuously for reasons of memory medium size but also of battery.The recording is triggered on parameters programmed upstream by the cardiologist, or it is the patient who triggers the recording by pressing the button according to the symptoms he may feel (palpitations).The device should be worn day and night.The patient also receives a logbook on which he can write down the significant events that took place during the recording period.Latest generation devices will soon be able to record continuously over a month.This technology is a basic of cardiology.All specialists are equipped with it, including those working in private practice.They can also be found in greater numbers in hospital structures in the cardiology department.After the recording phase recommended by the doctor, the patient returns to his specialist so that he proceeds, most often in his presence, to read the heart rate.The cardiologist extracts the SD card from the holter then inserts it into an SD reader connected to his computer.On the computer screen appears a real electrocardiogram.Software will then perform an initial automated analysis of the recording."Certainly the reading is prepared by software confirms the cardiologist but it is the practitioner's personal reading on the monitor that will make it possible to arrive at a relevant diagnosis. This electrocardiogram is not as complete as that carried out in the office and which allows to collect 12 tracks, that is to say 12 different points of view of the same electrical activity of the heart. The holter ECG only allows you to see 2 of them but it is enough to study the heart rhythm of a patient".To optimize the quality of a recording, it is advisable to shave your chest if you are a man in order to allow the electrodes to adhere better to the skin.But also to keep mobile phones away from the holter, to avoid wearing clothes that are too small which promote friction.Strict rest during the recording is not necessary but it is preferable not to practice too intense sports in order to avoid excessive sweating which could cause the electrodes to come off.Need medical advice quickly?Simply make an appointment with a cardiologistI accept that Doctissimo uses my browsing data, namely my redirection to a teleconsultation site with a health professional, solely for audience measurement purposes *If you refuse, you will be redirected to the teleconsultation site without Doctissimo being aware of it.In addition, if you have refused the use of cookies for audience measurement purposes through the cookie configuration module, no audience measurement will be carried out regardless of the choice you have made here.To find out more about the management of your personal data and to exercise your rights, you can consult our personal data protection policy.The act is valued by health insurance at €77.01, but the specialist's fees may be exceeded depending on the geographical area in which his office is located.This may induce a sum remaining payable by the patient.It is advisable to take stock with your mutual insurance company to find out if your contract provides for the coverage of this possible overrun of fees.Receive our latest news to stay in shapeDoctissimo, implements the processing of personal data, including information provided in the form above, to send you the newsletters to which you have subscribed and, subject to your choices in terms of cookies, to reconcile this data with d other data about you for customer segmentation purposes on the basis of which our content and advertisements are personalized.More information will be provided to you on this subject in the email that will be sent to you to confirm your registration.Discover all our other newsletters.