To what extent do indications for or questioning of the 24-hour ECG in ambulatory practice correlate with established ECG findings?
Viollier, E.H.; Lütold, B.E.; Scherrer, W.; Viollier, A.F.; Viollier, M.
Schweizerische Medizinische Wochenschrift 115(10): 346-349
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-7672 PMID: 3920753 Document Number: 263636
In 1312 patients the Holter 24-h ECG method served to detect 3190 abnormalities of the cardiac rhythm (mean 2.43 different types of arrhythmia per patient), and were classified into 14 arrhythmia groups. The main groups of indications for Holter ECG were classified as follows: palpitation; syncopes, dizziness; life-threatening arrhythmias. The positivity of the test correlated extremely well with the severity of the clinical symptoms: if syncope or dizziness were the indications for Holter ECG, abnormalities were found in 57%; if life-threatening arrhythmias were suspected, abnormalities were found in 54.7% of the patients.