CET Holter Monitoring and Ambulatory EKG 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the typical recording duration for a standard Holter monitor?
- 6 hours
- 12 hours
- 24 to 48 hours (Correct answer)
- 7 days
Correct answer: 24 to 48 hours
A standard Holter monitor records cardiac activity continuously for 24 to 48 hours to capture intermittent arrhythmias that may not appear on a brief resting EKG.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of Holter monitoring?
- To measure continuous blood pressure
- To detect intermittent cardiac arrhythmias not seen on a resting EKG (Correct answer)
- To evaluate lung function
- To monitor neurological activity
Correct answer: To detect intermittent cardiac arrhythmias not seen on a resting EKG
Holter monitoring is used primarily to detect intermittent arrhythmias that may not occur during a brief resting 12-lead EKG.
Question 3: Which type of electrodes are used in Holter monitoring?
- Suction cup electrodes
- Needle electrodes
- Disposable adhesive silver/silver chloride electrodes (Correct answer)
- Reusable clamp electrodes
Correct answer: Disposable adhesive silver/silver chloride electrodes
Disposable adhesive silver/silver chloride electrodes are used in Holter monitoring because they provide reliable skin contact for extended recording periods.
Question 4: What is the main purpose of the patient diary in Holter monitoring?
- To record medication dosages taken
- To document food intake and caloric count
- To correlate patient symptoms and activities with the cardiac recording (Correct answer)
- To track blood glucose levels
Correct answer: To correlate patient symptoms and activities with the cardiac recording
The patient diary allows the interpreting physician to correlate reported symptoms and activities with corresponding cardiac events captured on the recording.
Question 5: Before attaching Holter monitor electrodes, the technician should prepare the skin by:
- Applying moisturizing lotion to soften it
- Cleaning, drying, and lightly abrading the skin (Correct answer)
- Warming the skin with a heat pad
- Applying a thick layer of gel without other preparation
Correct answer: Cleaning, drying, and lightly abrading the skin
Cleaning with alcohol, drying, and lightly abrading the skin removes oils and dead cells to ensure secure electrode adhesion and reduce artifact.
Question 6: What does the event marker button on a Holter monitor allow the patient to do?
- Increase the recording speed
- Turn off the device when not needed
- Adjust the heart rate threshold alarm
- Mark the exact time when symptoms are experienced (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Mark the exact time when symptoms are experienced
The event marker button allows the patient to electronically flag the recording at the precise moment symptoms occur for later correlation with the EKG tracing.
Question 7: Which of the following is MOST likely to cause artifact in a Holter recording?
- Normal respiratory rate
- Sleeping in a supine position
- Loose or improperly adhered electrodes (Correct answer)
- A resting heart rate below 70 bpm
Correct answer: Loose or improperly adhered electrodes
Loose or poorly adhered electrodes allow movement artifact to contaminate the recording, which is the most common source of artifact in Holter studies.
CET Holter Monitoring and Ambulatory EKG 1
What is the typical recording duration for a standard Holter monitor?