The contribution of event monitor recorder to the diagnosis of symptoms

PURPOSE: To evaluate the contribution of the loop memory recorder in improving the diagnosis of symptoms related to cardiac arrhythmias. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSION: The cardiac loop ECG recorder therefore achieved an important incremental diagnostic yield.