The Use Of Heart Rate Monitors

Heart rate monitors used to be used exclusively for doctors and nurses alone,
until today's modern advanced technology was rectified.
Everyone seemed to want to know more details about themselves and their state

of health,
including the monitoring of their own heartbeats.


WHAT IS A HEART MONITOR?

Also known as a cardiac monitor, a heart monitor is a piece of equipment or

tool,
used to track or observe heart functions on an ongoing basis.
It allows people to place a numerical value on their state of health,
based on their heart rate and could help in reaching a goal of a target heart

rate to aim for.

The more sophisticated monitors allow physicians to see signs of

deterioration or improvement
and make any necessary changes immediately.

TYPES OF HEART MONITORS:

Today, monitors are produced by the millions and designed for the specific

needs of each different individual.
Some are exclusively designed for weight loss programs,
while others are more or less for professional/amateur athletes, or fitness

programs.
There are some units that are wireless or used as a built in feature on some

types of exercise equipment,
such as an exercise bike or a treadmill.
Sometimes, it may not emit electromagnetic waves, depending on the purpose of

the monitor in usage.
A fetal heart monitor for example, must not allow the production of any waves

at all,
as this may affect the health of the baby.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A MONITOR FOR YOU:

ECG-monitors with chest straps:
Units that are equipped with chest straps are more often, one of the most

accurate types.
The straps are strapped around your chest, a short distance below your breast.
It contains a device that can detect electrical activity of your heart,
and it is then transmitted to the brain of the machine, like an ECG.
The results are displayed on a monitor, which in most cases is attached to

your wrist,
similar to a watch.
There are also alternative methods such as, through audio messages by

earphones.
If your option is the unit equipped with chest straps,
remember to keep the strap constantly connected to your body, so that it

produces the best accurate readings.
There are also monitors that rely on pulses from your fingertips, which tend

to
not be nearly as accurate as those with chest

HEART MONITOR FEATURES:

Basic and less expensive models tend to only display your heart rate and

elapsed exercise time.
High end models will offer a wider range of features for a price.
Examples of such features are,
a)heart rate zone alarms
b)timers
c)number of calories burned
It may also allow users to set pre-programmed workouts, along with a targeted

heart rate.

EASY TO USE:

You must purchase a unit that is easy to use, and will not be complicated

with use.
Are the numbers and words readable?
Can it function in no light or dim areas, such as movie theater or a

restaurant?
Are the buttons well labeled and conveniently positioned?
Higher end models can be costly, so if you are on a budget,
ask yourself whether or not you truly need to buy a monitor.
You can purchase lower end models, but the low quality of these types can

lead to inaccurate results,
which sort of defeats the purpose of buying one.
Decide if you truly need to buy solo or if you could utilize the built in

feature of a
treadmill or other type of exercise equipment.

Lastly, remember that you could always pay your doctor regular visits
and have him/her monitor your heart rate for you!

www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/hs/hs_whatis.html

www.heartsurgeons.com/ed5.html