Cardiac Event Monitoring is used to determine the cause of such symptoms as dizziness, shortness of breath, palpitations, fainting spells and chest pain. Unlike a Holter test, which records every heartbeat for a 24-hour period, the event monitor is worn by the patient for up to 30 days. Cardiophonics offers several types of event recorders depending on the patient's symptoms, lack of symptoms and/or abilities. Because of the study duration, cardiac episodes that may have gone undetected in the physician's office or during Holter test have a greater likelihood of being detected.

Patients enrolled in Cardiophonics service are given a small, pager-sized recorder and the disposables needed to satisfy a 30-day study. Cardiophonics provides an in-service specialist who assists the physician staff in enrolling patients - and a RN case manager to instruct the patient on how to record their ECG data upon experiencing symptoms. Once recorded, patients can access Cardiophonics '1-800' transmission line 24/7/365 to speak with a friendly, experienced technician who will assist in sending their stored ECG data trans-telephonically. Cardiophonics technicians then prepare a report containing the received ECG data for the physician. Physician notification is standard based on the prescription and emergency notification protocols published within our services manual.

In February 2000, Cardiophonics received FDA marketing approval for the Cardiophonics Arrhythmia Center and Monitor with Automatic recording, with the following indications and contraindications.

• Indications for Arrhythmia Monitoring
• Patients who have demonstrated a need for cardiac monitoring and are at low risk of developing primary ventricular fibrillation or sustained ventricular tachycardia
• Patients with dizziness or lightheadedness
• Patients with palpitations
• Patients with syncope of unknown etiology
• Patients who require monitoring for non life-threatening arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, other supra-ventricular arrhythmias, evaluation of various bradyarrhythmias and intermittent bundle branch block. This includes postoperative monitoring for these rhythms.
• Patients recovering from coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery who require monitoring for arrhythmias
• Patients requiring monitoring for arrhythmias inducing co-morbid conditions such as hyperthyroidism or chronic lung disease
• Patients with obstructive sleep apnea to evaluate possible nocturnal arrhythmias
• Patients requiring arrhythmia evaluation for etiology of stroke or transient cerebral ischemia, possibly secondary to atrial fibrillation