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Buying a kardia

trixie100 profile image
18 Replies

I'm thinking of buying a kardia . I don't know much about them if anything really.advice would be appreciated I have paroxsysmol af

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trixie100 profile image
trixie100
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18 Replies

There are now two types, the single lead which costs around £100 and the 6 lead which costs more. Obviously the 6 lead offers more features but it can be more difficult/sensitive to use than the 1 lead which monitors AF very well.

You need to be sure your mobile is compatible and this easily done on their webpage. Type Kardia/AliveCore in the search box top right using the AFA filter and you will find many posts telling you more.....

store.alivecor.co.uk/?gclid...

ramblerbaz3 profile image
ramblerbaz3

Hi trixie....... I bought the 1 lead version & the Kardia is a great bit of kit & picked the AF up as soon as I was having an episode. It was a relief to know what was happening.

Without it I don’t think my PAF would ever have been found.

All the best to you !!

booboo73 profile image
booboo73

I love and hate mine as I can become obsessed with it. But it's a lifeline as I can send any strange rhythms straight to my arrythmia nurse. I tried my friends 6lead yesterday but I wouldn't upgrade, my basic Kardia does all it needs to xxx

Finvola profile image
Finvola

I bought mine 7 years ago and it was an excellent investment in catching those elusive heart wobbles. I use mine with an iPad and can send the traces to a printer. My GP and consultants were happy to look at the printouts when I had problems.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

Loved mine in the early days but hardly ever use it now but husband does. My doctors love it. Very good value & my 1st 1 lead lasted 7 years - much longer than my smart phone! We now have the 6 lead.

baba profile image
baba

It stores the ECG in the app, from there you can send as PDF or print it. I'm a fan, got the original one.

rosyG profile image
rosyG

They are very good. I have one and they are also used by the cardiologists when we have organised screening for af in the town centre. ( we have an Af support group) they have diagnosed AF and a lot of other cardiac issues with the original one lead version.

Cozzie99 profile image
Cozzie99

In australia, i bought a 1 lead kardia for $199. It was a cost saver as i would need to get an implant to guarantee gettin an AF recorded. I sent my readings directly to my cardio

Babyr1996 profile image
Babyr1996

Hi Trixie

I had the original one up until just before Christmas but then invested in the 6 lead this can also be used as a the one lead so you get best of both worlds I live the new 6 lead one you get mute info as the more leads you have the better the readings. The 6 lead is so easy to use you put it on your knee if ankle and hold the metal probes with your fingers it’s clear and concise I highly recommend - the good thing is I don’t now get unreadable as I have a lot of tachycardia it now tells me that rather than unreadable so y it s far better and slimmer and lighter to carry around I recommend paying a little extra and get the case I got mine from Amazon. Good luck whatever you decide they both record AF but the 6 lead you to have the choice when you set it up on your phone - oh and check it’s compatible to your phone too

momist profile image
momist

Hi Trixie. +1 for the Kardia.

I think the important thing you need to know is that the cheaper (older) single lead Kardia uses high frequency sound to communicate to your Android or iOS phone or tablet via the microphone, whilst the 6 lead version uses Bluetooth. Unfortunately, this means that the single lead one is less compatible with high-end phones that might have fancy filtering for noise cancelling. Mine worked fine with three successive phones, but when I upgraded to a (used) One+ 5T it fails to work. It still works well with my Huawei tablet.

So, it come down to "what phone do you already have?" You don't want to have to change your phone just to make it work. The list on the web site is very much less than comprehensive, so I guess that it is a bit of a chance to take with the single lead Kardia.

Other than that, they are really good, and the web site also has a good tutorial available for learning how to read and interpret the common arrhythmias the ECG can show.

Buffafly profile image
Buffafly in reply tomomist

When I used my single lead kardia with an android tablet I had to turn something off in settings to allow it to work.

momist profile image
momist in reply toBuffafly

Now, that's interesting. Thanks Buffafly . I wonder if it might have been the Bluetooth, or maybe the wireless (wifi)? I could try my phone with it switched to airplane mode, but I don't expect it to make a difference. I know that data exchanges while you are recording can sometimes give 'interference', but so far the phone has simply refused to even see the Kardia signal at all.

Buffafly profile image
Buffafly in reply tomomist

Sorry, can’t remember what it was but not those. Something that blocked something 🤷🏻‍♀️

baba profile image
baba in reply toBuffafly

Maybe noise reduction??

irene75359 profile image
irene75359

I have the one lead and although I only use is three or four times a year I wouldn't be without it. The only problem I had was when I upgraded my iphone and there now isn't a compatible case to house the phone and the Kardia. The adhesive strips supplied by Kardia to attach the Kardia to the outside of the phone case didn't adhere at all. So I bought a cheap silicone covered case, measured out the touch pads on the Kardia and chiselled two square holes in the back. Works perfectly and the Kardia is quite secure.

LaceyLady profile image
LaceyLady

I have a one lead, I send readings to myself for back up. You can send to anyone you want. My Consultant really likes them. If I feel off, I check with the Kardia.

Flipflopper profile image
Flipflopper

I live in Canada and I have a 1 lead Kardia. My doctor request 5 minute strips. She is from the UK and knows how valuable they are. Very happy with it. I have history to show my cardiologist

Cangelo629 profile image
Cangelo629

I would recommend the 6 lead bought one last November it does give you a much clearer picture of what your heart ❤ is doing. My EP and Cardiologist both like it we tested it and found it to be highly accurate. Also with a KARDI you can email a copy of your report at home to your doctor's on occasion to monitor how you are doing.

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