An MCT monitor is a wearable cardiac device that records your heart's electrical activity. Some MCT systems offer the capability to wirelessly transmit that data to a remote monitoring center, but not all. Unlike a Holter monitor or event monitor, MCT devices automatically detect abnormal heart rhythms without any action from the patient. The difference between MCT providers often comes down to whether data is transmitted in near real-time or held on the device until it is returned.

Tachycardia is a heart rate faster than normal (over 100 beats per minute at rest), while bradycardia is a slow heart rate under 60 beats per minute. Both can be harmless or a sign of an underlying heart condition, and cardiac monitoring helps doctors tell the difference.

A premature atrial contraction (PAC) is an early heartbeat that starts in the upper chambers of the heart, while a premature ventricular contraction (PVC) is an early heartbeat that starts in the lower chambers. Both are common types of ectopic heartbeat, but they differ in origin, ECG appearance, and what they may signal about underlying heart health.

A Holter monitor records your heart's electrical activity continuously for 24 to 48 hours, making it the better choice for frequent symptoms. An event monitor records only when a cardiac event happens or when a patient triggers it, giving it a longer monitoring period (often up to 30 days) for catching less frequent symptoms.

An ECG and EKG are the same test; both record the heart's electrical activity to detect rhythm problems. An echocardiogram uses sound waves to create images of the heart's structure and how blood flows through it.

Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter are both abnormal heart rhythms that originate in the upper chambers of the heart, but they differ in how their electrical signals behave, how they appear on an ECG, and how they are treated. Both carry serious risks, including stroke and heart failure, and accurate diagnosis through extended remote cardiac monitoring is the first step toward effective management.