Over the last few months, I have had lots of PVEs and SVEs, which I have mentioned before. Less Afib though. BUT - I changed from using my Kardia the usual way ( it’s an old, original type ) to holding it by one end and the other end on my knee - similar to how you can use the new one. Although this method isn’t in the newer manuals, it was suggested as an alternative when I got my Kardia about 5 years ago. There are also plenty of NSRs. However, today I was wearing trousers and my leg wasn’t available so I used the Kardia the ‘normal’ way. Afib ! I then immediately used it on my knee - SVE, then back to other way - Afib. I did this several times. Being the anxious thing I am, I am now worried that all the ‘palpitations’ I have been having have really been Afib ! I have really felt very good all this time ( I know, that’s the important thing ), but it makes me doubt my Kardia, which is a shame. I know many of you don’t think the Kardia is something to bow to all the time, but please, I’d would love to have some reassurance on this. I told my GP a few weeks ago about using the Kardia on mg knee and he said it made sense.
Annie.
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Tellingfibs
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That’s an interesting one. I hope someone with much more knowledge will answer and hopefully DrDave. My guess would be it is the algorithm not set up to take a 6L. Did you use your left knee? For the newer 6L user manual I seem to remember it says you must use your left knee specifically.
Hi CDreamer. It is the older, 1 lead Kardia I have, and yes, the instructions I saw all that time ago said to hold one end of the device with the right hand and place the other end on the left knee. It seems to give a slightly clearer reading and the beat ‘shapes’ look more normal i.e. spikes up AND down. As you say, perhaps Dr. Dave may have a peek at the forum, just in time to see my post ! Thanks for replying !
..I have an older Kardia, but never heard of using it on left knee; is it supposed to work better or just in the case where there is no table available?
I think just as an alternative. I have found it seems to give a slightly more precise trace - well anyway, looking more like the shape of a ‘normal’ person’s heartbeat !
You should be able to use Kardia as you describe, but I don’t understand how it would give different results.
Extract from Kardia Manual:
“You may also choose from two other placements:
For a Lead II ECG, the left knee should contact the electrode closer to the top of the smartphone or tablet and the right hand should contact the electrode closer to the bottom of the smartphone or tablet.
For an Anterior Precordial Lead, the device can be placed on the lower left side of the chest, just below the pectoral muscle. The bottom of the smartphone or tablet should be pointing towards the center of the body.”
Thank you Baba for indicating that the way I was using my Kardia was correct on the knee position - I couldn’t find that in the manual 🙄. It is indeed the discrepancy that is worrying me, and the thought that I have been having Afib episodes all the time I thought they were ectopics. There is of course the possibility I did indeed flip between the SVEs and Afib, and it was ( very ) strange co-incidence that it just happened each time I used the alternative method of checking 🤔.
I upgraded to Premium, so the results ‘seem’ definite. I think I will send a couple off for Clinical analysis, although I think I would need a few to get the correct assessment.
Kardia has mistakenly identified AF when it actually turned out to be a mix of PACs and PVCs. The algorithm is just an algorithm, and it’s not perfect. It’s worth familiarising yourself with the various patterns of your arrhythmias.
What you say is interesting - and reassuring. I was so anxious that these last months I had thought my Afib was more frequent than previously thought, but your words offer the possibility that it was just a blip in the algorithm. Being a chicken, I am using my knee today and getting the traces I have grown to accept. Thank you ! What I don’t want now is someone to reply to me saying I should only believe the result from the positioning demonstrated in the manual, not the knee one. 🤪
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