Added: 01/13/2006 |
There are many situations when ambulatory electrocardiographs might be neededSince its development in the 19th century, the electrocardiograph is the primary device for any cardiologist. This wonderful device gives many great opportunities, for example, doctors can search for heart problems and monitor different diseases.
Of course through a long history of development there were different changes and improvements in electrocardiographs but the main concept is still the same. Special electrodes are being attached to the patient's body to measure the potential between different parts of the body. These measurements allow for a continuous graph of heart voltage. That graph is called an electrocardiogram, ECG.
There is a standard graph that shows the voltage of a healthy heart in normal conditions, therefore, any differences between a normal graph and a patient's electrocardiogram can be a sign of heart problems. Comparing these graphs are not an easy tasks because doctors need to understand all of the processes of the measurements. But, these days technology can offer bigger complexes that are computer operated, so there is no need to read the graph because all of the information about the patient's heart is displayed on the screen.
In order to perform a long term monitoring or tests of new cardiac medication special ambulatory electrocardiographs are used. Ambulatory electrocardiographs are portable devices so when using them a patient can go on with his or her life. These devices have been available for measurements since 1951.
As usual cardiographs and ambulatory electrocardiographs consist of electrodes but the number of ambulatory electrocardiograph's electrodes is usually smaller than with stationary models and there is a special monitor that can be carried in a small bag. In most cases, a Holter monitor is used in ambulatory electrocardiograph and it named after the doctor who used it for the first time. In this monitor all of the heart voltage pulses are recorded on magnetic tape for a later study. In modern ambulatory electrocardiographs special electronic storage devices are used more often because it allows making the monitors smaller and then you can store more data. This makes all of the measurements more accurate. For example, the voltage in different directions can be measured. The latest models of these ambulatory electrocardiographs can be connected to a mobile phone so in case of an emergency like if a patient has a heart attack; this device can send an SMS message to a hospital.
The electrodes of ambulatory electrocardiographs are a bit different because they are made with adhesive pads in order to stay on a patient's body. Usually a special antiperspirant is rubbed where electrodes are attached to avoid perspiration and keep the electrodes in place.
In most situations, an ambulatory cardiograph test lasts for a day or two. All of the data recorded during this time is being specially processed to find a patient's heart attack. Such tests are used as a pre hospital ECGS to find the origin of possible cardiac problems or in tests of new cardiac medications to study its effectiveness.
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