When it comes to assessing heart rhythm, one test at one moment in time isn’t always enough.
A cardiac monitor, or cardiac event monitor, is a diagnostic device that monitors your heart’s electrical activity over a period of time. The rhythm of your heartbeat is set by an electrical signal from specialized nerve cells that pass from the upper chamber of your heart to your lower chamber. When coordinated, these electrical signals ensure your heart contracts and relaxes to maintain proper blood circulation through the heart and to the rest of your body. The cardiac monitor uses the same mechanisms for measuring and recording your heart’s electrical activity as an electrocardiogram (EKG), but for a longer length of time.