I believe I have had Atrial Fibrillation for five or more years, but my doctor has not been able to confirm it, he has advised me to get a Smart Watch. I have an Apple iPhone 12, new in Mar 2021 with 256 GMB, which I am happy with. I don't need any extras on my Watch, other than to record, and pass to my iPhone the best information possible for my doctor to be able to analyse my condition.
Which is the best Apple Smart Watch in the Series 6, 7 or 8 for Atrial Fibrillation analysis?
Do I need GPS and/or Cellular for ECG?
What extras do I need and what do I have to look out for?
And any other tips would be helpful?
I am new to smart watches.
Many thanks.
Written by
0ldSeadog
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Any Apple Watch, Series 4 or later, will do the same quality EKG. You do not need GPS or cellular on the watch.
As an alternative you might be able to save money with the Kardia Mobile, or kardia 6L.
Unlike the watch, you don't wear it, but simply take it out when you want to take an EKG. This is good when you are symptomatic so you know when to take out the Kardia device. If your episodes are not symptomatic, you're probably better off with the watch, which can (but not always) capture an AF episode by itself without you having to push the crown to take an ekg.
What impact does not having an iPhone have on the AF and ECG functionality provided by Apple Watch e.g. can you still produce pdf of ecg for sharing with doctor??I have an Android phone and I believe it is possible to pair with Apple Watch but there's some loss of functionality. I don't believe the Apple Health app is available on Android.
When considering Apple Watch or Kardia (or another device), users should consider compatibility with their existing devices (phones, tablets etc). Android users can obviously replace their phone with an iPhone too but that significantly increases the required investment and may create other issues for them eg. New OS to get used to and compatibility issues with other devices they own.
I would get an Apple Watch tomorrow if I was confident it would be fully functional with my Samsung S21 Ultra. I am sceptical but would be happy to hear otherwise.
Apple watch only works with iPhone I’m afraid, not android and not iPad either. It has to pair with an iPhone but you can share the data in the health app with later IOS iPads.
Any Apple Watch after the 4 will have the ecg function. With Apple I always buy the most recent edition my budget will allow as iOS updates cease after a period of time. I’m not familiar with the Kardia, but an apple Watch will of course have many other uses above and beyond the ecg function - you’ll have your other phone features on your arm. It will run a background ecg check periodically, and take a 30 second trace anytime you press the crown. It will notify you of any Afib it finds and the trace can be forwarded to your cardiologist. The ecg is, according to my EP, medical grade. The downside is of course the initial outlay. I don’t have the cellular version and it suits me just fine.
You don’t need Cellular on the watch, GPS is automatically on the phone and dependant on the settings you can choose as to whether or not to switch on or off. I tend to have mine mirror my phone settings but all the settings can be controlled from the phone.
OldSeadogs AF does not seem to be symptomatic as he thinks he has had it for 5 years without knowing. Would an ‘always on’ watch not be best in those circumstances?
Whether symptomatic or not, 'always on' watch will be better for first line detection IMO because it doesn't require you to do anything. It happens automatically, including when you're asleep. Whereas with the Kardia, you need to manually use it (via phone app) to make a recording. For that you need the Kardia, your phone (or other connected device) and be able to use it i.e. be awake.
I have paroxysmal AF and have Kardia (great device). Some of my episodes are only mildly symptomatic so it gets used when I think I might be having an episode. I also have a Wellue 24 hour HR monitor, which I use occasionally to check for episodes when I'm sleeping. However, to use it to monitor like Apple Watch (almost 24/7) would take a lot of effort i.e. impractical from my perspective. I'd get an Apple Watch but I don't have iPhone and heavily invested in Samsung devices, including Android phone. So also impractical.
Now that Samsung Watch's Health App has FDA approved IHRN (Irregular Heart Rate Notification) it might make it a serious alternative to Apple Watch for people like me.
There are some advantages of the watch Bob, for one it’s a wearable, 2 if you don’t feel the AF it will give you alerts, 3 it will measure HR constantly which can be useful - that is certainly how I found my HR dipped low at night so was sent for SA screening.
I agree that Kardia algorithms are much more advanced thoug and the traces seem to me to be more accurate.
hi I have a Fitbit 5 which I find brilliant and accurate this tells you if your in AF and shows your heart rate I have permanent AF controlled with medication and my Fitbit shows that I have arterial fibrillation all the time hope that helps
hi just to say my doctor diagnosed AF I didn't know I had this function on my Fitbit till after but it does say in AF and when I had my heart rate monered in hospital it was the same as my Fitbit had said
I have both! I love the Kardia - simple and reliable and trusted by EP but it requires getting out and checking ie having the thought you might be in AF. As I was usually symptomatic this worked but post ablation I wanted to know if I had asymptomatic episodes so invested in an Apple Watch. The simplest relatively recent one, no need for cellular. Very reassuring as I wear it 23 hours a day. The lowest reading is set at “less than 2% of the time in AF” which confused me at first until I realised it was covering itself in case I had micro episodes in between their continuous reading.
I know it’s not ideal, but next time you feel you might be in Afib, I would consider going to A&E as they will put you on an ECG monitor and diagnose you formally. That way, they should refer you straight to cardiology for a follow up appointment where they will do further investigations. My GP actually told me to do that, when I told him my applewatch was detecting Afib.
Still do get an applewatch or Kardia, as they are excellent, others have said, but in my experience, a GP will only give you medication such as a beta blocker and anti coagulants and won’t necessarily refer you for any further investigations at the hospital and you should be entitled to that, if you have Afib.
I was asked. “Why do you think you have AFib”? Because when I have an episode I have palpitations, feel awful, sweat and if severe, I feel as if I might pass out. Also I have had a monitor with a number of electrodes for an extended period, together with various ECGs, but they have never been able to confirm a diagnosis.
I am now getting more episodes with more at night.
It has become worse recently and since last week I have been on blood thinners, I have another ECG booked for next week and with the results of that I will go to a cardiology clinic, when the appointment is confirmed.
I think, the above indicates the episodes are symptomatic?
Episodes have tended to happen when out walking with my wife, next time I will get my wife to drive me straight to A&E, obvious I know but I had not thought to do that before, thanks Teresa156.
I have a Kardia but find that it is too late by the time I have it set up. Also I don’t take it out with me because to get a contact on my knee I have to take my trousers down. I don’t do this in public ! !
The original question was which Apple watch to get, and your various replies about this have been helpful. Many thanks to you all.
I know my Reply is not about Apple Watches as you requested, but just saying (as you do own a Kardia, 6L?) that you don't need to drop your trousers if you use the position (just above) your ankle instead of your knee ... or is that a problem? ... perhaps "no bare ankles in public" as was once required for public decency?🤔 But you would also definitely need to take your Kardia with you when outdoors ... in your pocket, purse, or manbag.
Hi Bob, good point, but you can also use the single lead setting on the 6L and leave your pants alone. Just use your two fingers. That's what I always do first. Then, if time and convenient, I'll do a six lead.
Hi Jim, good point, but I was trying to be "amusing", but it seems it failed. 🤔
As for me, I have no trouble rolling up my "big boy" trousers to allow access to my knees in public. Needs must. Actually I have never taken a single lead ECG on my 6L.
And anyway, despite my obviously polio damaged legs and a consequent preference for cycling over walking, I still wear shorts as much as possible. So good news for my 6 lead ECGs. 👍
I have a Kardia but find that it is too late by the time I have it set up. Also I don’t take it out with me because to get a contact on my knee I have to take my trousers down. I don’t do this in public ! !
You can take a single lead EKG with the kardia 6L, so no need to roll up your trouser. After pressing "record this EKG " Just scroll down to the bottom of the app and choose "single lead ekg". That will now be the default unless you change it.
Now you just need your two fingers. I've caught episodes well within a minute of when they started. Just have the Kardia in your pocket.
That doesn't mean a watch may not serve you better in that it may catch an asymptomatic episode. But for symptomatic episodes, as long as they're over a couple of minutes, I can always capture them with the Kardia.
Good for you you are seeing a cardiologist next week. If you have not had an Echocardiogram recently, ask him about one to check the full condition of your heart.
Sounds like you are receiving good care. Best to you !
I have the basic Apple Watch without the ECG function, but it will still alert to atrial fibrillation. It was how I came to be diagnosed after several years of suspecting it.
Although I did buy a Kardia, my A Fib is now permanent and I don’t really use it. I find my watch great for tracking steps and activity. It’s true that one can become a little bit obsessive about some of the health metrics, so I just try not to check too often.
I find it great for messages and alerting me to phone calls, as my phone is usually on silent. I sometimes answer my phone with it, though it does look a bit ‘Star Trek’. It buzzes to remind me to take my medications too.
Sometimes I start to think that I would like a nice looking normal watch, but I find the smart watch so useful that I would miss it so much!
I have both an Apple smartwatch and a 6l Kardia. I had asymptomatic PAF but my watch which was serie 5 alerted me to possible AF. My GP said watch was great but if I could afford it get a Kardia as well. My watch confirms possible AF and my Kardia gives excellent ECG which I can show to consultants when necessary if I’m not in AF when indeed them
I vote Kardia. Simple to use. Works with Android phone. Gives a good quality trace to send to your doctor as a pdf. Quick and simple to use. Inexpensive.I have the older single trace model stuck to my phone and it has been so handy for me.
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