Cardiology Department- Aintree

What is a 24 hour Five Day ECG?

A 24 ECG Five day ECG is used to continuously record your heart rhythm over a 24 hour five day period whilst you do your usual daily activities.

The length of recording time will depend on the request made by your referring doctor.

The test is used to help diagnosis the cause of symptoms that may not occur very often and have not been previously picked up on an ECG.

What can a 24-hour Five Day ECG recording show?

The heart produces tiny electrical impulses which cause the heart muscle to contract. These impulses can be detected and recorded by an ECG. This test may be recommended to help diagnosis symptoms such as palpitations and dizziness.

How is it done?

Sticky pads are placed on your chest and attached by wires to the monitor which clips onto your clothing.

The recorder will continuously record your heart rhythm and you are not required to do anything to activate the monitor once it is attached. You will not feel anything whilst the monitor is recording, and you can go about your usual daily activities.

However, you must avoid getting a bath or a shower as the monitor must not get wet.

You will be asked to keep a diary whilst you are wearing the monitor and to make a note of the time you have any symptoms and also the time you go to bed and get up.

There will be a digital clock displayed on the front of the monitor and it is this time you should make a note of when you have symptoms and not the time on your watch or house clock.

Are there any risks to the test?

There are no known risks to having a 24-hour five-day heart monitor. Occasionally some people may have an allergic reaction to the sticky pads placed on their skin. You should inform the staff if you have an allergy to elastoplast and sensitive skin pads will be used.

What happens next?

You will be shown how to remove the monitor and asked to return the monitor on a specified day with the diary card. The information obtained will be reported on by a physiologist and the results will then be sent to your referring doctor who will inform you of the results either at your next clinic appointment or by letter to your GP.

Feedback

Your feedback is important to us and helps us influence care in the future. Following your discharge from hospital or attendance at your outpatient appointment you will receive a text asking if you would recommend our service to others. Please take the time to text back, you will not be charged for the text and can opt out at any point. Your co-operation is greatly appreciated.

Further information

Aintree Cardiac Centre

University Hospital Aintree

Lower Lane

Fazakerley

Liverpool

L9 7AL

Telephone number: 0151 529 2700

Telephone number: 0151 529 2700

 

Author: Aintree Cardiac Centre/Cardiology Department

Review date: June 2029

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