Kardia Mobile subscription service

[MonarchsAB]

I’m wondering is the monthly subscription worth it? (I apologize if this question has already been asked in the past.)

[pottypete1]

I didn’t think it was necessary as I only see the real value in providing my EP Cardiologist with data when a pattern is being established.

Pete

[MonarchsAB in reply to pottypete1]

When you send an ekg to your cardiologist, how long does it usually take to hear back from him/her?

[pottypete1 in reply to MonarchsAB]

I only provide the information when I have an arranged appointment therefore cannot answer that question.

The apps is good for gathering data and you can save the results within the app. They are able to be exported either as a .pdf file or .csv file for MS Excel.

Pete

[CDreamer]

It’s whether you think it worth to you. Because we were very early users we get a lot of the premium features anyway so what you are paying for is for someone to look at your trace and report rather than relying upon the algorithm. As Pete says - if you are going to send to your own cardiologist/EP anyway then I would say no. If you have no direct access to your Arrythmia Clinic and want peace of mind - maybe?

You can send the ECG trace to yourself via email to keep a record.

[baba in reply to CDreamer]

No need to email to yourself anymore, the ECG is automatically stored in the APP.

[ClickerTicker]

Hi - I went for a couple of years without subscribing, but have recently succumbed and now subscribe. The auto saving to Alivecor's cloud is not a huge deal for me as I upload all my dodgy ECGs to my Google Drive anyway, but access to the advanced determinations was a deal-breaker. I came to the conclusion that without a sub, the mobile app would not pick up the advanced determinations - QTc interval, Sinus rhythm with supraventricular ectopy (SVE), sinus rhythm with premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) and sinus rhythm with wide QRS.

I believe this is the case but am happy to be corrected. What I can say for sure is that without a sub, my abnormal ECGs were labelled "Possible Atrial Fibrillation". With my sub the app thinks for a bit longer and then pronounces just "Atrial Fibrillation".

The ECG pdf also has a couple of extra pages tacked onto the end, one showing a graph entitled "R-R Interval Plot" That's described as "Detection of QRS locations allows Kardia AI to measure the distance between heartbeats or the RR interval. This can be used to review variability of heart rate, which may be useful in understanding heart rate variability, or to visually display irregularity in rate (such as in Afib)."

With the sub, you also get four (I think) included clinician reviews that are normally a fiver a pop. I tended to pay for those occasionally so will probably use up my 4 without problems.

Everybody is different and YMMV, but that's my experience.

[Singwell in reply to ClickerTicker]

Interesting. I've recently started the subscription and still get 'possible AF'. The only difference appears that be that it's all saved on The Cloud. Am I missing some vital info somewhere? The communication doesn't seem great I have to say.

[ClickerTicker in reply to Singwell]

The recent - post subscribing ECGs - not only are Titled "Atrial Fibrillation" rather than Possible Atrial Fibrillation, but also have "Advanced Determination" in a sort of violet colour with a border round it. I agree that this area is confusing and needs better documentation.

[Singwell in reply to ClickerTicker]

Thank you. I'll look into it.

[MonarchsAB in reply to ClickerTicker]

That’s a lot of useful information that your subscription is giving you. Which model of the Kardia are you using?

[ClickerTicker in reply to MonarchsAB]

I've both the 2-lead and the 6-lead. All my post subscribing ECGs have been done with the 6-lead. The 2-lead I keep in the car in case I feel the need to take an ECG away from home. I should probably carry the 6-lead around all the time but my home-made case (hollowed out foam block mainly) is a bit bulky. I'm too mean to pay £25 for the official Alivecor 6L "carry pod". I was lucky with the 2-L, a transparent plastic case that came with an old Samsung mobile battery fitted it perfectly.

[Hidden]

Absolutely not worth it unless you must have their cloud storage service.

[splashrollandplod]

I have it. I think its of little value but then its not expensive, a drop in the ocean compared to private medicine solutions eg ablation (for context obviously it isn't aimed at the same thing). I wonder .... the AliveCor diagnosis eg 'Possible AF' is taken just from Lead I I think - I look for missing P waves on Lead II where they are more pronounced but what could they tell me/ I learn from the other 4 leads?