The Zio Patch is a small, wearable heart monitor designed to help medical professionals understand a person’s heart rhythms over an extended period. This device offers a continuous recording of the heart’s electrical activity, providing detailed insights difficult to capture during shorter observations.
How the Zio Patch Works
The Zio Patch is a wire-free, adhesive electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor that attaches directly to the patient’s chest. It is designed to be discreet and comfortable. This single-lead sensor records and stores the heart’s electrical signals.
The device captures every heartbeat over its wear period. It does not require charging or battery changes during use, making it a low-maintenance option. At the conclusion of the monitoring period, the device is typically mailed back for analysis.
Diagnosing Heart Rhythm Issues
The Zio Patch detects various heart rhythm abnormalities, or arrhythmias, which might not manifest during a short clinic visit. It identifies irregular heartbeats, such as those that are too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or when beats are missed. This monitoring is useful for conditions like atrial fibrillation, a common type of irregular heartbeat.
The device is prescribed when symptoms like palpitations, unexplained dizziness, fainting (syncope), or shortness of breath suggest a sporadic heart rhythm problem. The Zio Patch increases the likelihood of capturing these intermittent events that shorter monitoring methods might miss. It can also help determine if symptoms are linked to a cardiac issue, or rule out a heart rhythm problem as the cause.
What to Expect When Wearing a Zio Patch
Applying the Zio Patch involves preparing the skin on the upper left side of the chest, which may include light abrasion, cleaning with an alcohol wipe, and sometimes shaving chest hair. The patch is then pressed firmly onto the skin, with an arrow typically pointing upwards. This non-invasive application takes only a few minutes.
Patients wear the Zio Patch for up to 14 days, though the exact duration is determined by the prescribing doctor. During this time, most normal daily activities, including showering and exercising, can continue, although submerging the patch in water (like swimming or hot tubs) is advised against. Excessive sweating might shorten the wear time. If symptoms are experienced, patients can press a button on the device to mark the event, or log symptoms using a mobile app or provided booklet.
Once the wear time is complete, the patient removes the patch, often with an adhesive remover, and mails it back to the manufacturer using a pre-paid return packet. The recorded data is analyzed, and a detailed report is generated for the doctor to review, aiding in diagnosis and treatment planning.
Why Doctors Choose the Zio Patch
Doctors choose the Zio Patch over older monitoring methods, such as the 24-hour Holter monitor. Its adhesive design makes it less cumbersome and more comfortable for patients. Patients generally prefer the Zio Patch, finding it less intrusive and interfering less with daily activities.
The longer monitoring duration, up to 14 days, increases the chance of capturing infrequent or sporadic heart rhythm events that a 24-hour Holter monitor might miss. This extended recording period has shown a higher diagnostic yield for various arrhythmias. Physicians report a higher rate of definitive diagnoses using data from the Zio Patch compared to Holter monitor results.