The contribution of event monitor recorder to the diagnosis of symptoms

Abstract

To evaluate the contribution of the loop memory recorder in improving the diagnosis of symptoms related to cardiac arrhythmias. The study population was 64 patients whose Holter monitorization was inconclusive as to the diagnosis of symptoms related to cardiac arrhythmias. Each wore a patient-activated ambulatory electrocardiogram device for 15 days. The ECG recording during the occurrence of symptoms were sent to the ECG receiving center by phone. Two patients did not conclude the study. The majority of the patients (85.5%) experienced symptoms in the fifteen days of monitorization, and in 62.2% of these patients electrocardiographic events were observed. The main symptoms experienced by these patients were: palpitation (67.7%), dizziness (32.3%), and syncope (29%). Other symptoms like breast pain, fatigue, indisposition and dyspnea were also noted in 30.6% of the patients. The main electrocardiographic disturbances observed were: sinus tachycardia (45.5%), isolated premature beats (30.3%), supraventricular tachycardia (21.2%), ventricular tachycardia (3%) and third degree AV block (3%). We also observed that the first symptomatic recording occurred mainly in the initial days of monitorization (69.4%) in the first 5 days). The percentage of diagnoses was 35.5% in patients whose Holter monitoring had been inconclusive. The cardiac loop ECG recorder therefore achieved an important incremental diagnostic yield.