As far as the long term heart rate monitoring options for a patient is concerned, devices such as holter monitors or cardiomemo recorders can turn out to be an ineffective option. As irregularities or episodes in the heart can come unannounced at any given time, it is quite difficult for the patient to be ready with monitoring devices in order to record the corresponding heart rates.

When dealing with such situations, a loop recorder can be the most effective option to record the heart rates of unexpected episodes. There are many types of loop recorders available in the market and each one of them has their own associated pros and cons. Therefore, it is very important to make a well informed decision with your consultant cardiologist when choosing to proceed with a loop recorder in order to get the most effective results.

Loop recorders are available in the form of implants or as external devices. They make use of circular memory segments that can constantly record the heart rate of a patient. However, all the readings are not stored for future use as new data constantly overwrites the old one. Only the important readings corresponding to an episode is frozen and stored for later use.

A typical loop recorder can store many different episode readings based on the capabilities of the recorder. When used as implants, they are placed slightly below the surface of the chest in order to record the heart rate of the patient. The external loop recorders are available in the form of portable devices which can be worn by the user.

As they are minimally invasive procedures, they generally do not have any side effects on the patient. In some cases, the patient may experience skin rashes and irritation due to the contact from the device. However, as the pros are far greater than the cons, loop recorders are used extensively to measure and monitor the heart rates of patients with an increased risk from heart diseases or associated symptoms.

Loop recorders- Before and after the procedure

While preparing the patient for inserting the loop recorder, they are usually advised to refrain from eating or drinking anything for up to three hours before the surgery. After the device is surgically placed under the chest, the patient is given details on how the device can be used and activated.

The wound resulting from the surgery is usually stitched up and dressed. If you experience any discomfort with the wound or notice any discharges from it, it is imperative to consult your doctor. After the period of evaluation, the heart rates corresponding to the episodes experienced by the patient can then be analysed and studied.