The Reveal device continuously monitors the rate and rhythm of the heart. It works much like a black box in an airplane; vital information is recorded during the actual fainting episode and can be played back later for detailed analysis. The Reveal can continuously record the heart's rate and rhythm for up to 14 months.
To capture and store the electrocardiogram (ECG) as it occurred at the time of the fainting episode, a patient places a hand-held, pager-sized Activator over the Reveal device after waking from an episode, and presses a button. A family member or friend also can be the one to place the Activator over the patient's device to save the information. It is important for the patient to keep the Activator handy at all times (clipped to the clothes or looped over a belt). Later, your doctor or technician analyses the stored information and determines whether the fainting episode was caused by an abnormal heart rhythm. Once the cause of the fainting episodes have been diagnosed, the device is removed and treatment can be started.
