I am new to this site. My first question has to do with readings on my 6-lead Kardia mobile and an upper arm bp cuff from Omicron. I take readings on them each morning. My bp, with meds, is normal, and the rate is consistently in the low 50's or 40's. I have been an athlete and my activity is not restricted. I work out intensely. I have had no more than four bouts of afib since my first in February 2020. Each self-corrected after two or three days. I am on 5 mg of Eliquis twice daily. I added Flecanaide during a couple of those bouts. Also, I have been diagnosed with left bundle branch block. Recently, I had a bout of afib. Since then, the cuff has occasionally shown an irregular heartbeat that might be afib when, at the same time, the Kardia shows no afib (but it does show wide qrs for the left BBB). I have understood the Kardia is supposed to be more reliable than the cuff at detecting afib. Are these inconsistent readings between my devices? If so, has anyone had inconsistent readings like this or can anyone explain the inconsistency? While I have given all of these facts, I have a second question. Can a low heart rate trigger afib?
Inconsistent Readings from Devices - Atrial Fibrillati...
Inconsistent Readings from Devices
I've also had problems with my kardia (6 lead). I knew I was having a AF episode as my HR was 150 bpm- but the kardia did not recognise it- Seem to remember it said "Unclassified!" DellaCat28
My Kardia once came up with “unclassified” and after I had paid them to get a diagnosis, it turned out to be AFib! So I pointed out to them that the Kardia was supposed to detect that and I got the money refunded!!
Yes, there are several ways that a slow heart rate can trigger AF. High vagal tone (often found in athletes or during sleep) can slow the heart rate significantly, which may create an environment where AF can be triggered. Also, if underlying heart disease is present, a slow heart rate can lead to electrical instability, increasing the likelihood of AF.
On the Kardia v BP monitor question, blood pressure cuffs detect irregular heartbeats based on pulse variability, which can sometimes misinterpret premature beats or normal variations as AF. Kardia, on the other hand, records an actual ECG, which is more reliable in diagnosing AF. Kardia is able to detect AF even in the presence of LBBB.
Blood pressure monitors are prone to false positives for AF, especially if there are ectopic beats such as PACs.
Very helpful. Thank you.
I have found cuff can show irregularities from just moving arm too much when reading.I have 3 other ways of checking.Overkill or what.
Dont use others unless show on cuff.
I have Emay equivalent to Kardia single lead.
Fibricheck,and a 2nd hand Fitbit sense that does ECG and checks for AF (cost me £20.
Arrythmia can show 1 min and not next.
No Afib yet as 2 years post ablation.
I don't worry about the occasional Arrythmia.
The Kardia is more accurate for AFib than the BP monitor.But there can be various reasons that you are getting two different readings.
First the BP cuff could be picking up other forms of Arrhythmia not just AFib.
If you used the cuff first just after you were active without a 20 minute delay with legs raised then you are more likely to get an arrhythmia reading if your heartbeat is being erratic because of over exertion.
If you had rested and took your Kardia as a second reading you may have begun to calm down after your activity reducing the distortion from over exertion.
I've had similar readings myself when I've had an Arrhythmia reading on my Omron, then used the Kardia and had Tachycardia with wide QRS.
I know you have said you were an athlete, I was in younger days .
I know you were used to exercising intensely and the rest of your body can probably still cope with the workout, but you could find that the increased arrhythmias and the potential of having more frequent AFib is occuring because you are still exercising at a level that is too over exertive for someone with LBBB.
You may need to consider the cardio level you are working out at and change your pace to improve your Self Care regime.
The readings you are getting are trying to tell you something.
I have LBBB and low rate, like you. AF comes my way every fortnight or so, but atrial arrhythmias are much more frequent. I gather that LBBB makes life very difficult for all AI based ECG determinations, such as used by Kardia. My current "go to" home ECG is the new Contec PM20 (also sold as Emay 6L) which seem to work bestow all in getting my arrhythmias labelled well. LBBB can cause AI some atrial arrhythmias to be labeled as ventricular - which can be very worrying. The Contec doesn't do this.
Steve
Is "Contec PM20 / May 6L" the full name of the device? I'm wondering about the "May 6L' part, which I don't find in searches.
So your Contec device does not use the sort of AI that the Kardia device uses?
But it provides labels that you like?
When you say that mislabeling as ventricular can be worrying, does the worry come from the possibility of ventricular arrhythmias occurring, or does the worry come from not knowing that atrial arrhythmias *are* occurring?
I’ve edited my post - Apple’s autocorrect changed the spelling and I missed it. My apologies for the confusion. Both are available online, I believe. I went for the Contec as it was on a discount at the time.
It’s different from Kardia who presumably use their own AI. I think the Emay website gives the list of arrhythmias it determines but it’s far more than my Kardia used to give (and at no extra cost). It’s all shown on the device, too, although the phone app wirks well too.
It was my Wellue device that came up with VT on several occasions. In some anxiety, I saw my cardiologist who confirmed it wasn’t that, but was all atrial. He told me that having LBBB can make ECGs notoriously difficult to read and can fool AI. Two people here posted that their Kardia made similar errors, I recall. The Contec makes occasional LBBB related errors but not of that kind (it gives ST segment errors.).
Steve
I’ve finally bought the Wellue as you know. I got the same error last night - I was awake and could feel the usual chest heaviness associated with my artery spasms and these bring on the LBBB. I did an ecg on my watch and it clearly showed my LBBB although it doesn’t say that - just inconclusive or whatever it reports it as, and when I checked the Wellvue report this morning it said it was VT at that time.
I did have another VT event during the night according to the Wellue and the morphology was different but I’m still not convinced it was VT.
I would email your cardiologist with the ECGs for reassurance but I am sure you’ll be told the same. If you look online for LBBB causing VT errors or similar, I found quite a lot. There’s a review of the Wellue that mentions this, too, but not in relation to LBBB.
LBBB seems to cause me noticeable symptoms, although looking online, I find little mention of its doing so.
Steve
I never used to know if it was there but I can tell when mine kicks in these days as my breathlessness increases and I get chest tightness. My cardiologist believes that is because of the spasms and they they’re bringing on the LBBB. I’m seeing him again in a couple of months so will show him my reports then. I have just reduced my BB too so I’m wondering if this will have any impact.
I have those same symptoms when my ECg starts to show those w-i-d-e peaks. The specialist I see tells me it's the atrial arrhythmia that causes it, though, not the LBBB. Another sufferer here wrote similarly, though. Looking online, LBBB is often associated with other cardiac issues but, where it isn't, as in our cases, then I think there's a lack of information regarding its effects. That said, it can cause a slowing of the heart and a less efficient output, combining those two I am not surprised we feel it. Information online about that is scant though.
Steve
I can't really give you medical advice. But, you might want to have a longer talk with your cardiologist I have found that a pulse-ox device is pretty good for a quick evaluation. You can see immediately if your pulse rhythm is regular or not and the heart rate. The Kardia machine is really nothing more than a rhythm checker unless you have a cardiologist look at the read out.
My Kardia has arrived.
Fitbit readings.? 
How accurate are the BP machines from your local chemist? 
Kardia readings
Disappointing Kardia readings
