I would welcome your advice please. Back in December 2020 I went into permanent AF. I had a cardioversion in March, just before lockdown. I went into NSR. After two weeks I went back into AF, I could feel it, and also my moron blood pressure monitor detected it. After 5 days went back into NSR. I have lost 20 ponds and abstained from alcohol for 5 months.
My moron blood pressure monitor detects an irregular heartbeat. I saw some literature on the kardia mobile. The question is, would you recommend I get a kardia mobile, that looks really easy to use, does it have any advantages over the moron blood pressure monitor.
I am trying to get healthier, continue to lose weight in the hope that I stay in NSR.
For moron read ‘omron, predictive text!!!
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Steve
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Steve101
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Hi Steve, great changes which seem to be paying off. You aren't in permanent AF because you are reverting to NSRI have a Kardia which is great I don't know about your device though so can't compare really!
I think moron was right Steve BP machines seldom give accurate reading with AF.
As Rosy says you aren't permanently in AF which is very good news if you revert as you have.
I have had a kardia since I was given one as a tester many years ago andI know that many people love them. MY own feeling is that like lots of such devices it is all too easy to become OCD about using them and found I got on with my life much better putting it in a drawer and forgetting where I had left it. Funnily enough whilst looking for something else yesterday I found it but since I have changed phones at east twice since I last used it doubt it will work.
Hi Steve, I’m the same as you and have a BP monitor that detects when I am in AF ( or rather a irregular heart beat). I’m also looking at the new 6 lead Kardia though it is a bit pricey. I know when I’m in AF and i have wondered if it’s just another gadget to have and will it actually help.
I just recently bought the 6 lead Kardia. I have an Apple Watch which I used to detect AF and it did ok, but then I started having other arrhythmias which the watch is unable to detect.
I am very pleased with the Kardia as it picked up SVEs ( supraventricular ectopics). It gave me piece of mind as I had no idea what I was having and didn’t know if I should panic.
So yes it is a bit pricey but for me was well worth the money.
Omron BP machines may be able to detect an irregular heartbeat but they do not determine what sort of irregularity is occurring. One of the main benefits of having a Kardia is that you can send reports to your EP/Cardiologist or Arrhythmia Nurse and that can be a very real benefit. As BobD says, it’s easy to become obsessed with these gadgets. In my case, I always know when my ticker is playing up and feeling my pulse is enough to tell me if I’m in AF. This has always then been confirmed by using my Kardia.
I have paroxysmal AF which is fairly well controlled with medication but recently it has been doing odd things and felt as if I was in AF. I suspected that my meds needed adjusting and so tried to contact my NHS Consultant, no joy at all, not even a return phone call, so I tried to get a Consultation privately and was offered a virtual one at great expense. I couldn’t see the point because without some form of test or monitoring how could he possibly know what was going on. So, I bought a Kardia knowing that the reports could be emailed to him. I got the Kardia and it told me I was in NSR, this despite me feeling as if I was in AF. For £5 I was able to have my reading analysed by Kardia within 24 hours. The report came back saying I had both ventricular and atrial ectopics but that they were within the ‘normal’ range. So, I have stopped worrying so much. If they continue I will opt for a virtual consultation, but because of the Kardia I fell the consultation will have more validity. So, in these strange times I think the Kardia is well worth having. I got an email yesterday, from Arrythmia Alliance saying they have a special offer on them at the moment - I’m afraid I didn’t pay much attention as it’s too late for me, but I am sure you would be able to find it. Good luck. Tricia
Hi Steve. I have paroxysmal AF and found the Kardia is really a good device to have so long as you are not too obsessed with it 😀 Personally it has done me more good. Helps to put my mind at ease whenever I feel like something’s off but in actual fact all’s well according to Kardia which I will normally send to my EP for interpretation as well. I would recommend it.
Depends how and what information you want. If you are tracking your BP - another BP monitor is in order. If you want to record and track accurate heart rate and AF episodes through an ECG monitor - Kardia. It’s not one or the other - it’s both for me - but which do you want to track? BP or AF?
I like the Kardia but hardly ever use it now as I have had all the treatments, have a pacemaker and can feel the AF so don’t need a monitor to tell me as there is nothing I can do about it anyway. Personally I think monitoring BP is more important if on the high side as you would want to ensure you can keep it as low as possible, without being like me whose BP rarely gets above 120/75 and is often down in the 90’s.
I have just got a 6 lead Kardia. It was £149 on Amazon. The single lead version is £99 on Amazon but only £80 on the AFA site.
I had an ablation 10 years ago which was successful but over the last few months I've been getting some irregularity so I wanted to see what's going on. The Kardia has diagnosed AF on a couple of occasions. The Kardia is a bit basic on its diagnosis - it only look at the single lead part of the reading and is just based on the gap between the beats. It does not diagnose anything else such as ectopics . On the last AF diagnosis, the HR was 67 bpm. We think that could be more ectopics rather than AF. I've ordered a clinician review through the Kardia app for £5 so it'll be very interesting to see what they say. That is done by a UK EP.
The way I look at it, if the Kardia saves just one EP consultation then it will have paid for itself.
Same for me too, nearly four years since 3rd ablation I was admitted to hospital with Atrial Flutter followed by cardio version in March. The doctors in the hospital were able to make a better diagnosis as I had Kardia readings pre admittance. And in the past have sent to EP post ablation for reference. It is my comfort factor and helpful diagnosis tool...best money ever spent!! Ive had one for years like BobD when they were first introduced into this country.
Hi Steve - I have an Omoron and a Kardia and, although the Kardia is single trace it is far superior in detecting and displaying heart behaviour.
The Omoron displays a broken heart symbol but little else. Kardia will report suspected AF, display ectopics as PVC’s or PAC’s and can be set for varying lengths of recordings. The analysis facility for a fiver is very reassuring too.
My GP, cardiologist and EP all took note of my printed tracings in the past when I had problems.
Thank you all for your extremely helpful replies. I think I must have tempted fate yesterday, as I woke up at 2 am and immediately felt an irregular heartbeat, feels a ‘lumpy’ beat, which is more pronounced when I lye on my left side. Took my blood pressure and sure enough there was the shaky heart symbol. I was 8 weeks in NSR. So a bit deflated!
I’m going to continue to lose weight and abstain from alcohol, as I feel that is the best way forward. Think I will purchase the kardia mobile gadget, thanks for the tip off about the Arithmea Alliance site. I hope it will go back into NSR on its own.
This site is a God send, really appreciate your time in responding. I’m going to remain positive.
On the Apple App Store you can find an App called Heart Rate Free. I have found it very useful for confirming whether or not my Moron is giving me valid results. As the title implies it is free and it may help you decide whether or not you want to splash out on a Kardia. Good Luck!
Hey what does nsr mean. I am new to this. I think I have permanent AF although no body told me that but since getting my Kardia even with low beats ie 70 the machine doesn't AF and reading erratic. I haveoafs of other quesyionscre meds and treatments but having an emotional day and will ask them separately. Xx
positive points are that the Kardia will show an ecg that can be used for diagnosis and you can see that you are in AF, but as you are symptomatic you probably know that you are in AF anyway.
Negative point is that it can be come obsessive checking your kardia readings all the time and can cause more anxiety and worry. That's why mine is in the back of the kitchen junk drawer with a flat battery
I have the 6 lead Kardia. I find it invaluable as I can email 30 days of tracings to my EP. Recently, he called me to tweak my medication based on what he saw! This has happened a couple of times and is very reassuring.
My EP ask me to buy a Kardia so I could send him the EKG when I was having weak spells, sure enough, caught AFib, heart rate 178, he put me on rhythm drug and a blood thinner. I am feeling some better. Been on medication about three weeks.
Good news - my heart has gone back into NSR yesterday afternoon, was only on AF for 12 hours. I’m hoping that the weight reduction and abstaining from alcohol is making the difference.
I’m still in two minds about getting a kardia, some of you have mentioned that there is a danger of getting obsessive about it, as that can be in my nature, and to also worry too much about things, may be better I don’t get one for now.
Thank you all for your helpful responses, I’m planning to water the garden and then enjoy reading the paper in the garden and lap up the sunshine.
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