Holter and 24-hour blood pressure monitoring in Slavuta

What a Holter records and what blood pressure monitoring shows

A Holter ECG is a small device with a few electrodes stuck to your chest. It records every heartbeat, so the doctor can see what your heart rhythm was doing during the day, at night and at the exact moment you felt skipped beats or dizziness. A standard ECG at the polyclinic lasts a few minutes and often misses such episodes. A Holter ECG is usually worn for one or two days, and if your symptoms are rare, the doctor may order a recording of up to seven days.

For ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), a cuff connected to the device by a tube goes on your upper arm. Throughout the recording it inflates on its own at set intervals, day and night, and the device stores every reading. The doctor gets your average blood pressure for the full day, and separately for daytime and night-time, and sees whether it drops during sleep and how your medicines work.

The type of recording and its length are decided by the doctor. If you don’t have a referral, start with a Viva Clinic cardiologist or your family doctor. Who each test is for is explained in detail in the article Holter ECG and blood pressure monitoring.

How to prepare and what a day with the device is like

Shower before the Holter is fitted, because you can’t wash while wearing it. Don’t put cream or oil on your chest, so the electrodes stay on better. For blood pressure monitoring, wear a shirt or top with loose sleeves: the cuff usually goes on the arm you use less. Bring your referral, previous ECGs and a list of your medicines. Take your medicines as usual unless the doctor has told you otherwise.

During the recording, go about a normal day: work, walk, climb stairs. There’s no need to lie down all day, because the device should show how your heart and blood pressure behave in your real life. Avoid hard workouts and heavy sweating, unless the doctor asked you to record exercise.

Keep a diary. Write down when you woke up and went to bed, ate, took medicines, walked fast or felt stressed, and separately the time of every symptom. When the cuff starts to inflate, stop, let your arm hang relaxed and don’t talk until the reading is over. It also inflates at night and may wake you briefly.

The device must not get wet, so put off baths, swimming pools and saunas for the whole recording. Don’t remove the electrodes or the cuff. If an electrode comes loose, press it back into place and write down the time in your diary.

If you get severe chest pain or shortness of breath, or you faint, don’t wait for the test to end and call an ambulance on 103.

What happens with the results

Bring the device back to the polyclinic at the agreed time together with your diary. The recording is analyzed, and the doctor compares it with your notes. This shows, for example, whether dizziness coincided with a pause in your heart rhythm or a drop in blood pressure.

You take the report to the doctor who ordered the test, most often a cardiologist. If your blood pressure worries you, it helps to know what blood pressure is considered normal and how to measure it correctly at home.

The Holter is fitted in Slavuta, at the polyclinic at 27a Sobornosti St, where you can also have a heart ultrasound and other tests. Holter monitoring is paid, while a standard ECG is free with a referral if you have a declaration with a Viva Clinic family doctor.