ECG recorders..

Posted: December 17th, 2009 | Filed under: ECG recorders | Tags: arrhythmias, ECG recorders |

ECG recorders are ambulatory devices which can be divided into two broad  categories – continuous and event.
Continuous recorders, commonly known as Holter recorders, typically operate for 24  or 48 hours and are used to investigate suspected occasional arrhythmia which has  not been detected during a shorter recording. Some recorders can be worn for up to
seven days. Holter recorders usually include a patient-operated button that  timestamps the recording so that arrhythmias can be associated with symptoms  during analysis of the complete recording.
Event recorders are for patients who experience symptoms very infrequently and  require monitoring over longer periods. Continuous recording for extended periods  would produce excessive data, thereby placing an undue storage and data
processing burden on the device and its ECG analysis system. By using intermittent recording techniques, the data storage and report processing burden is reduced.
Patient-activated ECG event recorders are devices that allow patients to initiate an ECG recording when they experience symptoms of arrhythmia, such as palpitations, light-headedness or syncope (partial or complete loss of consciousness).
Traditionally, patients undergoing investigation would be monitored via a recorder  with ECG cable and electrodes.

However, advancements in technology have led to  the development of post-event recorders with integrated chest and/or finger electrodes. These devices allow patients to make post-event recordings without the discomfort of long-term connection to an ECG cable, eg restrictions on bathing and irritation of the skin.