A 31-year-old woman with a congenital heart defect reports episodes o light-headedness and syncope, with occasional palpitations. A resting electrocardiogram reveals sinus bradycardia, and she is suspected to have sick sinus syndrome. Which of the following diagnostic methods is the best choice to investigate the suspicion?
A) Signal-averaged ECG
B) Exercise stress testing
C) Electrophysiologic study
D) Holter monitoring

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Because sick sinus syndrome frequently involves intermittent or alternating types of arrhythmias, Holter monitoring, which can record changes in rhythm that occur over a period of up to 48 hours, is likely to provide the best picture of the spectrum of cardiac changes in any particular client. Signal-averaged ECG is most useful for identifying specific arrhythmias that may not be clear on traditional surface ECG. Exercise stress testing measures changes in rhythm specifically in response to exercise.Electrophysiologic studies are used diagnostically to determine a person's potential for arrhythmia formation.

A 31-Year-Old Woman with a Congenital Heart Defect Reports Episodes