Portable ECG Monitor – Know Your Heart Before It Breaks!

Recent developments in electronics have benefited mankind in many ways. With the advent of small scale microelectronic devices, the size of once very large machines has been reduced to small portable gadgets that can be kept anywhere, at home or at office, and can be carried with anywhere. The development of high power rechargeable batteries has also contributed to the development of small portable instruments. These developments have also benefited biomedical field and many portable health monitoring instruments have been developed for the benefit of patients. Portable ECG monitor is one such device that helps cardiac patients to monitor the activities of their heart and consult a physician before occurrence of any emergency or major cardiac problem.

What is a portable ECG

Portable ECG (Electro Cardiogram), also known as portable ECG monitor, is a small medical device that records electric activity of the heart using electrodes placed on skin at certain specified locations. Although an ECG used in a medical laboratory has 12 leads, a portable ECG monitor for personal use comes with two leads by virtue of its special design, which are sufficient to take almost accurate readings by their placement at different locations on patient’s body. An ECG does not show the movements and functioning of heart directly, it shows measurements of electric activities of the heart that depict heart’s performance. Hence, you need some experience to interpret if the level of abnormality is such that a physician’s consultation is required.

How to buy a portable ECG monitor

The first step in buying this device is to search for the manufacturers of this product. You can do this by searching online. Then, you can compare the prices, specifications, features, and styles of the product by different manufacturer and choose the one that meets your requirement and budget.

One of the important specifications of this device is the memory, i.e. the capacity to record and store the reports of traces. A device having large memory can store more reports than the one having less memory. The weight of the device is also important. It is advisable to choose a device that is light weight so that you can carry it with you while moving from home to office, or any other place.

You should also check what kind of batteries the device uses. Good manufacturers use long lasting batteries. This is managed by the manufacturers by designing the device in such a way that it consumes less power and the type of batteries themselves store more energy to last longer.

It is always a good practice to consult your family physician, and friends and family who might have already used a portable ECG. They can advise you about the brand that they used and are satisfied with. You can also consult online reviews at independent sites and forums to get know how of the good brands.

Manufacturer’s warranty and after-sales support is also an important factor to consider in deciding which brand to buy. Read the warranty and support information provided by the manufacturer carefully as you may need to claim warranty or support in case of any malfunction that occurs in almost all types of electronic devices.

A portable ECG monitor is a very useful device that helps you track the state of your heart and helps you stay healthy by pre-emptively detecting any abnormality or worsening of heart disease. Noticing any abnormality in the reports, you can contact your physician and prevent any emergency.