Implantable Loop Recorder

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KEY POINTS

• An implantable loop recorder (ILR) is a small device that records the electrical activity of your heart. It is used to record problems with your heart that may not happen while you are in your healthcare provider’s office.
• You will need to carry an ID card with you at all times that shows that you have the device.
• Avoid equipment that may interfere with your ILR.
• Make sure you know what symptoms or problems you should watch for and what to do if you have them.

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What is an implantable loop recorder?

An implantable loop recorder (ILR) is a small device that records the electrical activity of your heart during your daily activities, including sleeping. It is put just under the skin on your chest, usually on the left side. An ILR is about the size of a flattened AA battery or smaller.

It is also called an implantable cardiac monitor or implantable loop monitor.

When is it used?

The ILR records your heartbeat when you have symptoms while you do your usual activities. Your provider may recommend an ILR if you have symptoms that come and go, such as:

• Feeling that your heart is beating harder, faster, or slower than usual or that it is skipping beats
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness or fainting spells
• Chest pain

Symptoms that may be caused by a problem with your heart may not happen while you are in your healthcare provider’s office. The ILR records your heartbeat at the time you have symptoms. It can help your provider see problems and decide on treatment.

There are 2 ways for your ILR to record your heart rate and rhythm:

• Automatic. Your healthcare provider will set heart rate ranges in your recorder based on what is normal for you. If your heart rate goes above or below the set range, your ILR will automatically start to record.
• Use an activator. When you have symptoms, you put a device called an activator over the ILR and push the button. This records your heart’s rate and rhythm. The activator is about the size of a cell phone, and you need to carry it with you all the time.

The recording is stored inside your ILR. Your healthcare provider can view the recordings during an office visit using a computer. Some types of recorders can also send the information over the phone to the computer in your provider’s office.

Your provider may ask you to track your activities and symptoms in a diary. Your provider will ask you to write down the date and time, any symptoms you have, and what you were doing when you had the symptoms. This helps your provider know what brings on your symptoms.

How can I take care of myself when I have an ILR?

You will need regular follow-up visits with your healthcare provider so the device can be monitored. At your follow-up visit, your provider will check your ILR settings, the battery, and your heart. The recorder can be used for just a few months or for as long as 3 years or more. Your healthcare provider will need to change the batteries about every 2 or 3 years.

Follow your healthcare provider instructions about how to care for your recorder. In addition:

• Carry an ID card or wear a medical ID bracelet or necklace that says you have an ILR. If you become unconscious, the ID will let emergency healthcare providers know that you may need special care.
• Avoid equipment that may interfere with your ILR. For example, you will need to keep cell phones and other mobile devices at least 6 inches away from your device. Keep your ILR at least 24 inches away from stoves with an induction cook top. Avoid electrical transmission lines, high electric current, radio transmitters, and arc-welding equipment. Equipment that generally will not interfere with your ILR includes radios, power tools, heating pads, electric shavers, microwave ovens, and televisions.
• Tell all of your healthcare providers and dentists that you have an ILR. Some tests and treatments can interfere with your ILR, such as magnetic resonance imaging, radiation treatment for cancer, some procedures that use heat to remove tissue, or TENS units used for physical therapy.
• Tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all of the products you are taking. Some medicines and supplements can change your heart rate, which may affect how your ILR works. Keep a list of your medicines with you. List all of the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take.
• Take care of your health. Try to get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Eat a healthy diet and try to keep a healthy weight. If you smoke, try to quit. If you want to drink alcohol, ask your healthcare provider how much is safe for you to drink. Learn ways to manage stress. Exercise according to your healthcare provider's instructions.

Call 911 for emergency help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack. The most common symptoms include:

• Chest pain or pressure, squeezing, or fullness in the center of your chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back (may feel like indigestion or heartburn)
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms or shoulders, or in your back, neck, jaw, or stomach
• Trouble breathing
• Breaking out in a cold sweat for no known reason
• If your provider has prescribed nitroglycerin for angina, pain that does not go away after taking your nitroglycerin as directed

Along with these symptoms, you may also feel very tired, faint, or be sick to your stomach.

You can get more information from:

• American Heart Association
  800-242-8721
  http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/