Anyone recommend a good cardiac monitoring app (ekg) that detects when you are in afib? I'm looking at free ones preferably, but ...

[Beadygrl]

Phone app ekg suggestions free vs. paid ones.

[CDreamer]

I am sorry there are no free ecg smart phone apps which will take your ecg that I know of.

The apps that do an ecg requires a physical kit that you hold near a smart phone and cost. The most popular - and one I have had since 2014 and is very reliable is Kardia (previously AliveCor).

store.alivecor.com/products...

More in development. Plenty of Apps which take your pulse which can sometimes indicate an irregular rhythm but you will only know from the looking at the visual pulse reader and not record and smart watches which certainly will record HR so you can see trends on a graph but they are more expensive than the Kardia.

You might see if you can find a second hand Kardia - which works - there may even be someone on this forum who has an older or unused Kardia stored away who may be prepared to part with it for a small amount?

[bennie06]

Depends what level of accuracy you are after. When i was in AF i used Cardiograph mobile app. This would have problems taking readings which of course meant i was in AF! Now AF free bur still occasionally take my heart rate with it(but not obsessively!!) and find it accurate. Good luck

[Melchet]

I hear what you say about free apps but I would endorse the Kardia Mobile (currently on Amazon for £99). Suggest you read the customer feedback comments but disregard the negativity about being unable to save ECGs or being forced to pay for ongoing services (not true). I had multiple NHS 24hr heart monitors, none of which caught an AF episode. Eventually bought the Kardia Mobile which is easy to use for logging ECGs during an episode and quickly confirmed I had AF. My Consultant/EP was impressed with the results which he said were of diagnostic quality for AF. Obviously the full 12 lead ECG is going to give more detailed information, but if the objective is to determine whether you are suffering from AF (or occasional missing or extra beats), then this is what you need!

Good luck, whatever you decide!

[Kfib]

Preventicus heartbeats is excellent, but you need a subscription to get the best from it. I have a Kardia device too and I think the preventicus app which uses a smart phone camera is just about as good. Reliably detects my af anyway.

[Hidden]

I love my Kardia Mobile by AliveCor. There’s an app and you have to buy the sensor, which you can attach to your smartphone. It records a medical grade ECG that you can email. I send them to myself and keep in a folder in my email account. The ECG reading can be set from 30 seconds to I think a couple of minutes. It will show you on the app a green band that means NSR, an orange band that says Possible AFib, or a yellow Unclassified. That usually means something’s up, but it’s not exactly AF. It tells you the time & heart rate on the ECG.

I’ve used it for over a year and it’s really helped me become attuned to when I’m in AF. For a few months, I had a working Reveal Linq implanted monitor (till the battery died), so I could compare the readings for accuracy. Kardia Mobile is really good, though Linq is more precise cause it’s closer to the heart.

Hope that helps!

[Beadygrl in reply to Hidden]

Yes it does help. I had a follow up with the electrophysiologist that did the procedure and he seemed really annoyed that I couldn't quantify each and every episode I had in the month since the procedure. So just trying to record them the best I can. Ugh. Thanks and thank you all for the advice.

[Hidden in reply to Beadygrl]

I wonder why the EP didn’t have you get an implanted Reveal Linq if he wanted to track you like that. That’s the best and easiest way to do it. It records 24/7, flags anything unusual & transmits the data nightly to the EP office. Creates monthly reports, too. Very cool. Had mine for over 3 yrs till the battery died, which is expected at 3 yrs.

AliveCor also has a service for cardios so they can monitor. Your EP doesn’t sound like he’s up on the technology.

[Beadygrl in reply to Hidden]

The only thing I know is that at the 3 month mark post ablation, I'm to get a 30 day "event monitor" and stop taking Amiodarone. I think then we'll know definitively if the procedure worked and I can come off of the harsh medication.

[Ianc2]

Completely free - two fingers on your right wrist. No batteries required and usually completely accurate and you can show it to your doctor.

[Beadygrl in reply to Ianc2]

True. I feel it better in my neck. I didn't know I was having it all before the diagnosis.

[Dodie117]

Not if it’s gone back to normal by the time you get to your doctor!!

[Beadygrl in reply to Dodie117]

Every time I go to this dr, I am back in sinus rhythm. It's like my heart is scared back into rhythm. Lol

[jhb025]

Kardia Mobile is your best bet. Very accurate EKG's if you stay still during the reading. Will flag potential afib by measuring the distance between beats and looking for an irregular rhythms. So if you have tachy afib, probably not as effective at flagging. but if you have irregular beats with your afib, Kardia is great. If you subscribe, you can also save your EKG's for future review with your Cardiologist.