Event Monitoring

What you can expect

The process of event monitoring is as follows:

1. You’ll be fitted with an event recorder at your cardiologist’s office.
2. The monitor is a small electronic device that is connected with wires to sticky patches (electrodes) that are placed on the skin of your chest. The monitor is small enough to clip to your belt or keep in your pocket. You’ll be given instructions on how and when to transmit data from the recorder.
3. When you’re experiencing cardiac symptoms, you’ll press a button on the device to begin recording data from the heart’s electrical activity. The electrodes on the event monitor detect the heart’s electrical activity and transmit this information through the leads to the monitor. Some event monitors can detect abnormal heart rhythms and begin recording automatically.
4. You’ll be asked by your cardiologist to periodically call a phone number to transmit data from your event recorder.
5. By measuring the heart's electrical activities, your cardiologist may be able to monitor any evidence of abnormal heart rhythms. This will provide collective data to your cardiologist and will be used for further management.

Risks

Wearing an event monitor is safe. However, if you have an allergy to any adhesives, be sure to let the cardiologist and nurse know, as the electrodes are attached to the skin with adhesive.