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PATIENT EDUCATION · IMPLANTABLE LOOP RECORDERS

Implantable loop recorders

Understand why a loop recorder may be recommended, how it is placed, and how monitoring works.

Section 1 of 6 · What is a loop recorder?

← Implantable loop recorders: the short explanation
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All 6 sections, including text and pictures · 8 pages

SECTION 1

What is a loop recorder?

An implantable loop recorder, also called an implantable cardiac monitor, is a small device placed just beneath the skin of the chest. It monitors your heart rhythm over months or years and saves recordings when it detects certain rhythm changes or when you mark symptoms.

It does not have wires inside the heart. It records information—it does not pace the heart or deliver shocks.

Close-up illustration of a slim implantable loop recorder with a smaller view beside a fingertip.
A small monitor that records your heart rhythm. Appearance and size vary by model; this illustration is not a measurement guide.
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Sources & further readingMayo Clinic: Implantable loop recordersJohns Hopkins: Loop recorder implantation

Updated October 2026. Educational information; your own care plan may differ. Medical illustrations are simplified examples for teaching.