Full-disclosure monitoring: a concept that will change the way arrhythmias are detected and interpreted in the hospitalized patient.

Conventional methods of detecting and documenting arrhythmia in the hospitalized patient are inadequate. A system of full-disclosure monitoring has been expanded from its roots in Holter monitoring to real-time telemetry. This archiving system stores 24 hours of electrocardiogram (ECG) tracing per patient in computer memory and prints 60 minutes (one minute per line, 60 lines per page) of ECG hourly. This technique eliminates the fear of missing ventricular tachycardia, heart block, or automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator discharges and ensures that onsets and terminations of runs are captured. Documentation is facilitated by the use of a laser printer that makes standard-sized tracings. The retrospective capability of full disclosure monitoring aids in correlating symptoms to ECG changes and serves as a tool for quality control, bed utilization, and research.