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Symptomatic Arrhythmia Monitoring (TREMS/Event Monitoring)
Abbott Northwestern Hospital offers event monitoring through a high-tech, in-house monitoring service called Transtelephonic Remote Event Monitoring Service, or TREMS. TREMS evaluates and monitors heart conditions such as palpitations, dizziness, syncope, chest pain, shortness of breath or tachycardia. While a Holter monitor would be a solution to capture a predictable arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) that occurs frequently during a short (24 to 48 hours) period of time, a TREMS device would the best option for a sporadic or transient symptomatic cardiac event. The TREMS device is a small pager-sized unit that can be worn on a belt clip, placed in a shirt or blouse pocket, or hung around the neck on a lanyard. For optimal results, the monitoring device should be worn daily for 30 days or until the arrhythmia has been identified and quantified.
You will place two telemetry patches on your upper chest and hook up lead wires to the device. At the onset of a symptom, you will activate the monitor by simply pushing the record button. Since the device scans the heart continuously, the saved recording starts forty seconds prior and automatically ends 20 seconds after button activation. Up to five, one-minute recordings can be stored before a telephone download and interpretation is required.
You will be provided with a diary into which you will enter the date, time and your activity (i.e. walking, climbing stairs, bowel movement, sleeping, taking medications, etc.) when you experience symptoms. Typical symptoms include palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath and dizziness. This diary is very important: it enables technicians and doctors to correlate your activities and symptoms with the EKG recording. When you experience a heart symptom, sit down, press the record button on the TREMS recorder and remain still and quiet. The device will record for approximately one minute and will shut off automatically when recording is complete.
When the device is full, you’ll call the TREMS toll-free number where a qualified cardiac monitor technician receives the recorded EKGs via the telephone lines. Once the download is complete, the device is cleared and ready to record another five events. Specially-trained TREMS technicians and nurses analyze, measure and interpret the EKG, and then the report is faxed to the ordering physician.
There are no risks associated with event monitoring.
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