A 72-year-old woman with a recent onset of syncopal episodes has been referred to a cardiologist by her family physician. As part of the client's diagnostic workup, the cardiologist has ordered her to wear a Holter monitor for 24 hours. Which of the following statements best captures an aspect of Holter monitoring?
A) A Holter monitor is preferable to standard ECG due to its increased sensitivity to cardiac electrical activity.
B) The primary goal is to allow the cardiologist to accurately diagnose cardiomyopathies.
C) Accurate interpretation of the results requires correlating the findings with activity that the woman was doing at the time of recording.
D) Holter monitors are normally set to record electrical activity of the heart at least once per hour.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

It is imperative that activity level be correlated with Holter monitor results in order to draw accurate diagnostic conclusions. It is the long-term gathering of data, rather than sensitivity or accuracy that gives Holter monitoring an advantage over standard ECG measurement. The goal is to diagnose arrhythmias, not cardiomyopathies. The hallmark of Holter monitoring is its continuous, rather than intermittent, measurement.

A 72-Year-Old Woman with a Recent Onset of Syncopal Episodes