Kardia

[debilitated]

I received my Kardia (mobile ecg reader) a week ago and have taken several recordings of what I distinctly feel are irregular rhythms, along with ectopics and hard and soft beats. On the reading you can clearly see spike differences, lots of activity between beats and where ectopics have come in. However, the reading says 'no abnormalities found in the ecg recording.' Is anyone else using one and if so, have you found them to give the same results?

[BobD Volunteer]

My own experience is not good although I know there are others who love theirs. My main problem is getting a reading that does not look like a trace of a category 7 earthquake. I put it down to my fingers which, . working with metal and degreasers, tend to be rather dry. I think somewhere in the paperwork it does suggest using hand sanitiser to dampen the fingers before use and I did find that licking my fingers helped to produce something more like an ecg. although still with a lot of spikes and zig zags which are usually interference which the machine ignores. hence the "no abnormalities". .

Hope that helps/

Bob

[debilitated in reply to BobD]

Thank you Bob and Finvola for your suggestions and support. I think I must just be extremely sensitive to any sensations in the heart because what it shows on the readings is generally matching to the discomfort and agitation I am experiencing during an episodes ie hard beats/tall spikes followed by several soft beats/short spikes. After seven years of poorly controlled AF and Flutter Ive had two AF ablations and one Flutter ablation. I am due to be 'signed off' from Harefield next month and want to be sure to catch any significant recurring symptoms if that's what they are.

[Ialla in reply to BobD]

This discussion makes me feel better because the wobbles is exactly what happens to me. I am super aware of my heart beats, although they are regular & typically in the 60s. Kardia always says no abnormalities. My EP also called them artifacts.

[Finvola]

My experience with my Kardia is that a few ectopics (2 or 3) are accepted by it as normal but frequent - ie every second or third beat - get reported as unclassified. The activity between beats could be unsteadiness in your fingers - I use mine with an iPad and my shaky fingers and get wobbles - referred to by my cardiologist as artifacts.

Have you tried taking a reading from your left knee and right fingers? I find this gives me a much steadier trace. You can also use left chest and right fingers.

[debilitated in reply to Finvola]

Interested in the knee and chest methods you use. Not sure how I do that with the tiny little plate though? Mine is two and a half inches by one inch and rigid with two one inch square plates.

[Finvola in reply to debilitated]

That's like mine too. I don't have it attached to the iPad, but hold it close to the microphone. I usually sit in an armchair, with the iPad on my knees, mic facing me, moisten the two contacts well and lay one contact on my left lower thigh whilst holding the other contact with my right hand. Then I try to relax 😃. I assume if you are using a phone to record, the same procedure will work. I try to do the chest one in similar fashion but find I've got nowhere for the iPad to sit so easily as with the knee method.

[debilitated in reply to Finvola]

Brilliant, thank you for that Finvola, will try both of those methods.

[Boombiddy]

Hiya debilitated ,

Just in case your problem is with signal/interference, do you have Enhance On? It cleans up the signal so you can see the reading? (Sorry if you've already done that, it's one of those things you can miss at the beginning).

Plus, I emailed Kardia cos my Kardia app wasn't consistently "seeing" the Kardia (signal from device to app was weak).

They said try re-seating the battery (I mean, take it out & put it back in) & gave instructions. (I know, it sounds insane but it's worked for me with something else, so I gave it a go).

I don't know if it is this that has worked, or holding the Kardia at the opposite end of the iPad from the Home button, but it works better & I don't need the hand sanitizer any more.

It does need the Kardia very close though and I'm going to check it all out better once I'm not feeling so lazy.

(Alivecor did say get back to them if not happy, I've found it works well enough for me not to bother).

I think it is conservative with its estimate of whether the ECG is normal so as to not cause undue concern below a certain threshold. Like Finvola I have had several "Unclassified" ECGs which have suggested a report or a GP appointment. I showed an "Unclassified" one to my GP and it was immensely helpful because it showed a lot of ectopics.

If you feel you are getting more ectopics than it is showing you could contact Alivecor's Support, and if not satisfied ask the seller to replace or refund.

I have to say, I am finding it reassuring and helpful, but I did have to spend time with the device, the app and the manual and "play" with it a lot, it really helped to iron out any difficulties.

[debilitated in reply to Boombiddy]

Many thanks Boomdiddy for your informative reply (kardia ecg readers) sent a couple of months ago but only just showing up now. I'm not sure why I don't always have replies showing until many weeks on. Another technological problem I must tackle!