Table 6.

Types of ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices

Type of recorder	Typical monitoring duration	Continuous recording	Event recording	Auto trigger	Unique features
Holter monitor	24--48 hours, approximately 7--30 days	Yes	Yes	N/A	Short term, provides quantitative data on arrhythmia burden
Patch monitor	1--3 weeks	Yes	Yes	N/A	Intermediate term, can provide continuous data for up to several weeks; improved patient compliance without lead wires
External loop recorder	1 month	Yes	Yes	Variable	Good correlation between symptoms and even brief arrhythmias
External nonloop recorder	Months	No	Yes	No	May be used long term and intermittently; will not capture very brief episodes
Smartphone monitor	Indefinite	No	Yes	No	Provides inexpensive long-term intermittent monitoring; dependent on patient compliance; requires a smartphone
Mobile cardiac telemetry	30 days	Yes	Yes	Yes	Real time central monitoring and alarms; relatively expensive
Implantable loop recorder	Up to 3 years	Yes	Yes	Yes	Improved patient compliance for long-term use; not able to detect 30-second episodes of AF due to detection algorithm; presence of AF needs to be confirmed by EGM review because specificity of detection algorithm is imperfect; expensive
Pacemakers or ICDs with atrial leads	Indefinite	Yes	Yes	Yes	Excellent AF documentation of burden and trends; presence of AF needs to be confirmed by electrogram tracing review because specificity of detection algorithms is imperfect; expensive
Wearable multisensor ECG monitors	Indefinite	Yes	Yes	Yes	ECG 3 leads, temp, heart rate, HRV, activity tracking, respiratory rate, galvanic skin response

AF = atrial fibrillation; ICD = implantable cardioverter defibrillator; ECG = electrocardiogram; HRV = heart rate variability.