16/09/2026
Patch Holter Monitoring: Finding Heart Rhythm Problems That Come and Go
“Doctor, my ECG is normal… but sometimes my heart suddenly races.”
A 45-year-old patient comes to the clinic describing occasional episodes of rapid heartbeat.
The ECG taken in the clinic is completely normal.
Does that mean there is no rhythm problem?
Not necessarily.
Some abnormal heart rhythms are intermittent. They may appear for a few minutes—or even seconds—and disappear before an ECG is recorded.
This is where Patch Holter monitoring can be helpful.
A Patch Holter is a small wearable ECG monitor placed on the chest. Unlike a routine ECG, which records the heart rhythm for a very short period, a patch monitor can continuously record the rhythm over several days, depending on the device and clinical indication.
It can help doctors investigate symptoms such as:
❤️ Racing heartbeat
❤️ Skipped or extra beats
❤️ Episodes of irregular heartbeat
❤️ Unexplained dizziness
❤️ Near-fainting
❤️ Suspected intermittent atrial fibrillation
One important point: a smartwatch alert or automated monitor report is not the same as a confirmed diagnosis.
When an abnormal rhythm is detected, the actual ECG tracing should be reviewed by a healthcare professional.
So, if your symptoms are intermittent, a normal ECG between episodes may not tell the whole story.
The right monitoring method depends on how often your symptoms occur and what your doctor is looking for.
📍 SS Heart Clinic, Anna Nagar, Chennai
Learning point: Sometimes, the best way to find an intermittent heart rhythm problem is to monitor the heart for longer.
Have you ever experienced palpitations that disappeared by the time you reached the doctor?