[Detection of arrhythmias in patients with ischemic heart disease using different methods of prolonged ECG recording on a magnetic tape].

Prolonged ECG recording on magnetic tape was performed in 327 coronary patients. In 187 out of them, continuous 24-hour ECG recording (Holter's monitoring) was performed and in 178 subjects, intermittent recording (for 14 s every 15 min) was conducted over 24 hours. In 38 patients, both methods were used. Various heart rhythm irregularities were determined by these methods in 92.1 and 86.8% of the patients, respectively, with the nature and frequency of arrhythmias in both groups displaying basically the similar pattern. The employment of both methods made it possible to detect in a considerable proportion of patients cardiac rhythm disturbances which had not been elucidated in the previous clinical and ECG examinations. The method of Holter's monitoring proved to be more informative in comparison with intermittent ECG recording, i.e. it was effective in determining the precise number and duration of arrhythmia episodes occurring over the period of 24 hours.