Hi , I've recently purchased a 6 lead device to record any episodes and today I've had my first AF in a month .
Its a pretty normal episode for me , that funny feeling in your throat that tells me it's probably starting .I had a light meal about a couple of hours ago and that's common for my random episodes to follow and mostly around early afternoon.
I set up the device and away it went .Bearing in mind I usually start off with a faster HR and then setting down a little later I thought it best to try right at the the start to record the ECG .
The report said possible AF and my HR was going from 82 to 105 up and down for the 30 seconds of recording.
Firstly are those HR readings an accurate measure of how my heart is beating and possible AF ? I know I have it as its been diagnosed so is there another function or report that says definite AF , just so I know for future reference .
Just as an aside, my wife made me a lovely bread pudding last week which , the first time I had a slice, led to a few ectopics an hour later and my meal today was finished off with another small piece.
Please don't tell me I can't have my cake and eat it 😭
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Hammerboy
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I don’t know about the 6lead but my Kardia, 2lead, always says “possible AF”. (I’m in permanent AF now.) Also the automated analysis only interprets the first 30 seconds although you can change recording time up to 5 minutes.
Edit
If you go to alivcor.com there is a lot of information available including an arrhythmia library.
I bought a Kardia 6L a couple of weeks ago after my Apple Watch picked up my first prolonged AF attack since 2019 and I hoped the Kardia might give me more detail, which it does. That attack showed varying heart rates over several hours but mainly around 90bpm. My heart issues always start with ectopic beats and mild tachycardia (85-115bpm) and often happen early in the morning at breakfast, getting better by afternoon.
The Kardia appealed as the company offers (for an extra fee) a professional ECG analysis and extra arrhythmia reports (via "Kardiacare"). I haven't gone down this route yet as, this past week, my heart has been generally somewhat better, and I haven't had another attack beyond tachycardia and palpitations. Since I've had it, the Kardia has indicated a few "possible AF", many "Unclassified", and several "NSR" readings. I haven't yet taken up the offer of Kardiacare.
Thanks Steve , I was determined not to use the device other than to record my random episodes of AF and to show my EP when I have any reviews as I could see how easy it would be to obsess. When I was first advised to get a BP monitor I was taking daily readings and it became habitual but now I only take one abut once every few weeks to see if the Amlodipine tablets are still effective
Pre AF my BP was always around 130 over 80 but during all the tests and worry of being diagnosed with AF and mild Atrial stenosis it averaged around 155 over 80 at the hospital so I was advised to take the medication for life .
Now I'm usually at around 125 over 80 but always wonder if I really need it as at my age my pre AF BP was quite normal so I'm told .
By mild atrial stenosis, do you mean aortic stenosis, i.e. valve regurgitation? I had a very slight temporary amount of that as a result of the persistent atrial flutter and tachycardia before my ablation in June 2019. I don't know your age but I'm 68. After my ablation, I had a bad bout of afib but then was okay till last November when I had a bout of tachycardia (although I'm not sure I was ever actually "okay" as even following the ablation I kept having strange breathless feelings). Since then, I've had lots more of the same, with some "afib" diagnosed by my Apple Watch, and short bouts of "afib like activity" diagnosed by a cardiologist from a 14-day Zio monitor I was given. An echo-cardiogram done at the same time was fine, thankfully, and I've been given the all-clear but with a low dose of losartan for "protective" reasons (my BP is normal but I have mild LBBB).
Yes sorry I mean Aortic stenosis . It hasn't altered in the 4 years since I was diagnosed and the cardiogist said as it was a bicuspid valve I would have had since birth he expects me to need a valve replacement with 10 years , I'm 67 by the way .I get an echo annually now to monitor things but he doesn't think my AF has any connection to the valve issue, which I find strange as I've been told different by the guy doing my last echo 🤔
I hope the cardiologist knows more than the technician but that is interesting. My friend had a valve replacement a few years ago when he was maybe 60. He's so well these days, building his own house - amazing. Those replacement valves are incredible things, for sure.
I think valve problems are usually something people are born with, but in my case, it seems to have been the tachycardia brought on by the persistent flutter rather than stenosis. On the echo it was a tiny leak but it did worry me more than a tiny bit, I have to admit. After the ablation it had cleared up. I also have LBBB and that, too, needs a regular echo. Such is life, eh? I wish you well.
Kardia never indicates "Atrial fibrillation" but always "Possible atrial fibrillation". This is because it cannot detect atrial fibrillation with certainty, but within a certain confidence interval (not sure what the interval is, but I'm guessing around 95%). It's worth taking some Kardia readings even when you are not in AF imo-preferably at the same time of day- as you can track changes over time. A cardiologist told me that he can obtain quite a lot of useful information from 6L ECGs which is not reported by the device itself in the form of a message.
The user manuals, for both versions, are on the Alivcor.co.uk website
I have noticed when I eat certain foods my heart does funny things palpitations etc. I have read about a direct relationship between food sensitivities and heart racing or arrhythmias. I have noticed it myself when I eat certain things, so YES I would suggest you listen to your bodies reactions.
I have cleaned up my diet, no coffee, no alcohol no gluten, no chocolate, barely any dairy and I haven’t had an episode in months. I have also been getting regular chiropractic adjustments (weekly).
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