HEALTHY LIVING


New Patch Diagnoses Deadly Heart Condition


Small, wireless monitors attach to your chest and can be worn comfortably for extended periods. ::


BY CHRIS ILIADES, M.D. Y


ou have been having heart palpitations and feeling


lightheaded. Your primary care


doctor orders an electrocardiogram (EKG) to check your heart for an abnormal rhythm (arrhythmia) that could be causing your symptoms. But you are not having symptoms at your visit, so the EKG is normal. Since the 1960s, the


next step would often be wearing a Holter monitor for 24 to 48 hours or longer. Several electrodes


would be stuck to your chest, attached to an EKG recorder hung around your neck or waist — an uncomfortable but effective way to record your EKG outside the hospital. Today, it is more likely


that your doctor would recommend a small, wireless patch monitor that attaches to your chest. The new heart patch monitors can be comfortably worn for up to two weeks. “The Holter monitor


has fallen out of favor,” says Lawrence Kanner, M.D.,


chair of the cardiology department at Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside, New York. “It is cumbersome


and limited compared to today’s heart monitoring technology. Today you can wear a patch on your chest and go about all your daily activities, including taking a shower.” There are two commonly


used types of wireless, ambulatory heart monitors.


PATCH RECORDER If you have arrhythmia symptoms that are unlikely to be life-threatening, like occasional palpitations and feeling lightheaded, the first choice is usually a patch recorder. “The patch recorder


uses a microchip to store a continuous EKG recording for up to two weeks,” explains Kanner. “There is a diary and a button to push on the device to note any symptoms you experience while wearing the patch.” The waterproof, thin,


adhesive patch is placed on your upper chest, over your heart. It is designed to be invisible under clothing


102 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | NOVEMBER 2025


and to not interfere with the activities of daily living. After you finish wearing


it, you just put it back in its box and send it off to be evaluated. “Your doctor will get a report and also be able to review any recordings that are abnormal,” says Kanner.


MOBILE CARDIAC TELEMETRY (MCT) This type of patch is used when your symptoms are more worrisome, but not serious enough to keep you in the hospital. “This device also sticks


to your chest and is fully ambulatory, but it uses Bluetooth technology 24/7 to transmit results and notify you and your doctor if an arrhythmia occurs,” says Kanner. “If you have recently


been hospitalized due to an arrhythmia or have a history of passing out during an arrhythmia, this device is the better choice.”


DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT Symptoms include palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, and feeling lightheaded or passing out


(called syncope). The most common


arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation. This heart condition causes episodes of very rapid heartbeats. Other types of arrhythmias cause the heart to beat too slowly. It is important to


diagnose an arrhythmia because if left untreated, it can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, or sudden cardiac death. “Getting an EKG during


an arrhythmia with cardiac monitoring may be the key to diagnosis,” says Kanner. Treatment of an


arrhythmia can include medications, ablation (a procedure that creates small scars in the heart to block faulty heart signals and restore a normal heartbeat), or a pacemaker, he explains.


WHEN TO SEE DOCTOR Let your doctor know about any arrhythmia symptoms, such as feeling dizzy or passing out. “Palpitation means


feeling your heart; if you feel your heart beating, let your doctor know,” advises Kanner.


©IRHYTHM TECHNOLOGIES


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