- The original heart rate monitor was as rudimentary as a person measuring heart rate by checking a pulse point on the body and counting the number of beats per minute. In fact, this method is still often used by athletes, such as runners, who want to see if their heart is reaching its optimal level during training. A modern-day heart monitor is a device that monitors the heart rate via electrodes on the chest. The components and their capabilities have greatly advanced over the years.
- Heart monitors include portable devices that can be worn on the body throughout the day to record changes in an individual's heart as the person goes about his normal routine. Such devices do not merely monitor but make a record of the results for a doctor to review over time. Some devices create an ongoing record for a day or more. Newer units can transmit results directly to a physician or medical center.
- Most units use a strap to hold the measuring device against the chest, wrist or arm to sense the heart beats. Advanced technology now enables sensors in fabric to provide the same type of information, making the unit easier to wear and less conspicuous. Whichever type of device is used, it transmits its heart data to another device, a receiver. The most advanced units can now measure more than just the heart rate, incorporating more specific data on breathing, calories and changes in the heart rate based on activity.
- Monitoring the heart allows athletes, such as a runner or bicyclist, to adjust their training based on a target heart rate. For medical use, the monitor permits the health care provider to have a record of the heart's function during the patient's daily routines. In the face of chest pains, monitoring can help diagnose a heart attack and make the difference between life and death.
- The casual athlete can take advantage of portable units that may be adequate for the purpose when precise monitoring is essential for life-threatening conditions. However, health providers use more highly technical equipment to monitor the heart in clinical settings. An electrocardiograph (EKG) is an example of a heart monitor that is commonly used by professionals.
- Exercise raises the heart rate and the way the heart responds shows how efficient it is. The heart monitor can note abnormal responses so that the physician can diagnose and treat an underlying problem more accurately and successfully.
- Since the heart rate is a critical sign of potential heart problems, monitoring it can help provide an early warning system of a potential heart attack. With early warning, treatment can begin, possibly preventing serious issues of hospitalization, a debilitating heart attack or a heart attack leading to death.
