| Ambulatory ECG monitor type | Monitor capabilities |
| Continuous ECG monitor (ie, Holter monitor) | - Record all ECG data for 24 to 48 hours
- Off-line analysis and review following completion of recording
- Typically 3 ECG leads but 12-lead options available
- Patient diary to record symptoms, with time correlation to ECG rhythm
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| Event (loop) monitor | - Records one or two lead ECG data around time of arrhythmias
- May be triggered automatically in response to program settings or by patient following symptoms
- May be worn continuously or applied during symptoms
- May be worn for up to 30 days
- ECG data for triggered events can be sent wirelessly for real-time analysis to central monitoring station that can alert physicians and be made available for on-line review
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| Patch monitor | - Records single-lead ECG data continuously (3, 7, 14, or 30 days)
- May be triggered automatically in response to program settings or by patient following symptoms
- Traditional off-line analysis at central monitoring station following completion of recording that is then available for on-line review by physicians
- Some models have capability to wirelessly transmit ECG data for triggered events for real-time analysis to central monitoring station that can alert physicians and be made available for on-line review
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| Mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry (MCOT) | - Traditionally 3 leads but now also available in patch form (single lead)
- Can be worn for up to 30 days with continuous recording
- May be triggered automatically in response to program settings or by patient following symptoms
- Daily report is transmitted wirelessly to central monitoring station and is made available on-line for physician review
- ECG data for triggered events can be sent wirelessly for real-time analysis to central monitoring station that can alert physicians and be made available for on-line for review
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| Implantable loop recorder | - Subcutaneously implanted, available for monitoring up to several years
- Triggered automatically or by patient/witness for symptomatic events
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| Commercially available heart rate monitor (eg, wristbands, smartwatches) | - Photoplethysmography technology records heart rate
- Data can be stored on smartphones, tablets/lap tops, or directly on devices
- Some devices have algorithms to detect rhythm/rate irregularities and alert for possible atrial fibrillation
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| Commercially available heart rhythm monitors (eg, smartwatches, hand held devices, smartphone based electrode cards, etc) | - Single-lead ECG data that is recorded by patient during symptoms
- Some devices have algorithms to detect heart rhythm irregularities such as atrial fibrillation
- Rhythm strips can be stored on smart phones or directly on hand held devices and shared with physicians for review
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