.Blood pressure monitor detecting Afib

[Tux18]

When I had my device check last week I was told I was in Afib about 78% of the time. I told the technician that my BP monitor does not show that it is ocurring that often. She said that when the ventricle is causing the irregular heart beat it won't show up on the BP monitor. This was interesting news to me. So keeping records by my home BP monitor as to when I'm in or out of SR, I guess, isn't of any value.

Just thought I'd share and wondering it any of you have been told this.

Thanks!

[CDreamer]

I was told not to rely on BP monitors to record AF or heart rate and that to take a BP one we AFers, should have been sitting for about 10 minutes prior to taking a reading and to take 3 readings about 2 mins apart and use the average of those readings to record BP. One of the reasons for using the average of 3 readings was because when in AF BP goes all over the place.

My husband was told to take his BP 3 times a day, at the same time each day for recording purposes for a week to get any idea of the pattern and to use averages.

If you have a diagnosis of AF that is an arrythmia of the atria, the upper chamber which conducts some of the irregularity through to the ventricles which as they are the main pumping chambers - cause the irregular pulse - but the ventricles are not the electrical source of the irregularity.

There are many other devices out there which will record AF much more accurately than a BP machine.

I’ve found that a watch I wear all of the time is going to be far more accurate at tracking arrythmias because it sits on your wrist most of the time and will be continuously calculating heart rate so will give averages and arrythmia alerts and these will automatically be recorded in the App. The catch is that you need a smart phone with the watch’s app on it to be able to use it so need the resources to be able to purchase and to be able to use them and I have to say, they get more and more complicated.

Hope that helps.

[Tux18 in reply to CDreamer]

Thank you CDreamer for the information. When I do check my BP using monitor I will do as you suggested checking it three times using using the average. Your reply was helpful.

[Vince1001]

I record my BP every day or so (taking 2 measurements) and I've found that my normal resting HB is around 45-55. I've found that when I'm in AF my resting HB increases by about 20 points to 75. My meter does have a form of detection for an irregular HB, but it doesn't always pick it up. It's at this point I confirm AF using my hand held ECG.

Hence I do use my BP monitor as 'first line' detection for AF.

Cheers!

[Tux18 in reply to Vince1001]

Thanks Vince1001, I just figured my blood pressure monitor was picking up my afib, But obviously not always as I thought. Cheers to you!

[Physalis in reply to Tux18]

You need something that will do an ECG. Several times a day at first to see how often you are in AFib. Blood pressure monitors and wrist monitors are useless.

[BobD Volunteer]

Sorry you have been wasting your time but we do tend to warn peoeple about the unreliability of such devices when AF rears its ugly head. The BP readings are usually unreliable if in AF as well and realistically to get a fully acurate reading you need a doctor with the old fashioned machine and stethoscope. Some expensive machines claim to detect AF.

[Tux18 in reply to BobD]

Live and learn! Thanks BobD