Kardiamobile

Morning all,

I'm thinking of buying a kardiamobile 6l to try and catch episodes as they happen while still having test for bradycardia/PVCs etc.

What are your views or experiences and is kardiocare subscription worth it.

Regards

Taz71.

[Bob9395]

Hi Taz71 .. I bought one following my heart attack last summer (I now live with acute heart failure) and it has literally been worth it weight in gold! Why? How? I suffered several serious post heart attack collapses due to hypotension (low blood pressure) resulting in broken ribs and split head on one occasion. Long story short ... during my hospital admission for that particular collapse I showed my Doctor my Kardiamobile 6L history that evidenced the fact that hypotension and atrial fibrillation was causing my collapses and was immediately fitted with an ICD (pacemaker/defib) and some tweaking of my tablets. Bottom line is that the Consultant said the data collected from my Kardia was priceless in his decision to fit me with an ICD. I use the Kardia at least 4 times a day and it really does help build up an picture of what going on with my heart. I also bought an Omron X4 smart blood pressure device that compliments it on my phone. Hope this helps .. Bob

[Hidden in reply to Bob9395]

Hi Bob, .. thanks for sharing your own story and thoughts on the kardiamobile and how it helped with your diagnosis. I'm currently waiting for a 3 day holter monitor to be fitted in 2 wks time to see why my rhr is low around 42 and been told I may need a pacemaker. After 2 years of test being told I have mild lvh, mild mvp and bradycardia rhr of 33 at times and two episodes in A&E once blue lighted with a pulse of 30 on route.

I've recently been taken off bisoprolol as the cardiologist wants a clear picture of my rhr meds free but its still low at 39bpm sometimes and i still feel dizzy, light headed and fatigued occasionally.

So I was thinking of the kardia 6l but not sure if its worth it hence wanting advice etc. Do you have the paid subscription or just the device? Kardia state it can detect many symptoms but think you need a subscription for the extra diagnosis?

Like many others on here no matter what test you have during your journey its trying to catch it when it happens even now I feel a bit off and know my hr is dropping but chances are it will be ok when I next have more test....so frustrating. I also check my bp which has never been a problem but lately its all over the place high and low at times with erratic hr sometimes shooting up over 180 for no reasons. I think the kardia is a good bit of kit to have so i will probably take the plunge and buy one.

Thanks again for your help and advice and i hope all goes well for you.

Regards

Taz71.

[Bob9395 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Taz - I completely forgot to mention that I have the Kardia Care package that costs me about £7.50 a month (2 year subscription) and offers extra what Kardia call "advance determinations" etc etc but all you really need (in my opinion) is the free basic package that is part of the purchase price. I have yet to see the benefit of the advanced package myself but that is probably down to my own particular needs and your may well be different. The free package will flag atrial fibrilation (along with normal sinus) and store ALL the 6 lead data for your Doctor to see. The advanced package adds 'advanced' determinations like "wide QRS" etc but I was told that all they really needed was the 6 lead data. Depending on budget .. Kardia lao do a 2 lead device but I went for the 6 lead and am glad I did as it cut 6 month off my diagnosis for a ICD implant. What I can say is that my consultant expressly told me that I wouldn't have to go through (up to 6 months) of hotter monitoring because of the Kardia ECG data I provided. Id also recommend a good blood pressure monitor (I bought the Omron X4 on Amazon) because it can integrate the Kardia data.

[Hidden in reply to Bob9395]

Cheers Bob looks like its the kardia 6l subs free for me and I may even replace my old omron bp machine with the new x4 model. 👍

[Hidden]

Hi Bob, I've just been looking at the kardiamobile online but they state you can't use it if you have an icd or pacemaker fitted? Do you still use yours having the icd fitted?

[Bob9395 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Taz … yep .. still using mine but I never realised there could be an issue with it after having my ICD implant. Thanks for the heads up and I’ll look into it in case there may be an issue. Bob

[Hidden in reply to Bob9395]

Hi Bob, thanks for the reply, i eventually took the plunge and got mine delivered today so hopefully it will be a good bit of kit to help me with any future diagnosis etc like it has been for you and if I ever get a pacemaker or icd implant I will cross that bridge then.And yes please double check your ok to carry on using it to be safe.

Regards

Taz71.

[Summerpumpkin]

Hi Taz71 , I’ve had my kardiamobile 6L around a month. It goes everywhere with me . It’s kept track of my atrial flutter and bradycardia. Was extremely useful to show the paramedics the other day after I had an episode! Definitely worth getting. I haven’t subscribed to anything yet but I’m considering getting the extra package. Well worth it . Hope this helps

[Hidden in reply to Summerpumpkin]

Hi summerpumpkin, Thanks for the information and I'm glad to hear it came in handy for you when you needed it most. My concern is if I get fitted with a pacemaker down the line could it become obsolete as its not recommended to be used with pacemakers or icd's etc but on the other hand it would be useful prior to this?

As Bob mentioned he uses the kardia daily for readings and also has an ICD implant too. I might not get a pacemaker or icd implant so it may never be an issue so i will probably just have to chance buying one.

Thanks again.

[fairgo45]

That's right you can't use it if you have a ICD which is a shame because it's a brilliant device.Check with kardia themselves .

things might have changed

[Hidden in reply to fairgo45]

Thanks for the advice and info I will do.

[Hidden]

Was rather disappointed with it. Most of the time it reports unclassified. You have to pay £5 plus subs for a report each time and tends to be copy and pasted.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Fingers crossed it will work fine time will tell. Thanks for the info.

[richard_jw]

I have a one lead kardiomobile at the suggestion of the NHS cardiologist. Numerous times it has diagnosed Afib, and I have sent the output to the cardiologist. I only got a response from him when I also sent the output to a private cardiologist as well. The private guy got back to me within 30 mins and said that I absolutely did not have Afib. This prompted me to learn what the graph means rather than taking the Kardiamobile's word for the condition it diagnoses. (Afib, superventricular ecopy, normal sinus rhythm etc)When I bought the device, they were offering one month (or it might have been a certain number) of free analyses. As I remember it, they did not seem very useful in adding to the description of the condition on the smartphone.

The cardiologist said to me when he was suggesting the kardiomobile, that there was an another possibility. Holter monitors typically don't spot afib (he said) because they tend to take averages rather than short duration attacks. An alternative was a device which you wear (it is implanted under the skin). You press a button when you want it to start measuring i.e. when you get an attack. I think the device is called an implantable loop recorder which they put under the skin with a local anaesthetic. You can wear it for as long as it takes to get a result. It records all the time, but you can press a button when you get an attack and I assume it records more stuff. I think the NHS recommend Kardiomobile because it's clearly

a cheaper non invasive option which if you really do have Afib will show it. I don't know really what the 6 lead does. It clearly records more data, and I believe you have an extra lead you attach somewhere else on your body. So there are pros and cons in terms of usability.

[Hidden in reply to richard_jw]

Hi, like you mentioned a loop recorder sounds better and this was recommended by a doctor while in A&E but he said my cardiologist would have to authorise it but its more accurate at catching episodes when they happen.

[Hidden]

Morning all,

Quick update on the kardiamobile I bought yesterday, its results and my views. I took an ecg test twice at different times to see how I was and if the kardia connected ok and on both occasions the kardia connected and performed without any issues and results came back stating normal sinus rhythm. Then late on in the evening I felt my heart rate slowing down as it sometimes does so a quick check on my oximeter showed it was down to 49bpm. I then ran an ecg test on the kardia and my heart rate had dropped to 46 by this time and stating bradycardia so I then saved the results as a pdf document on my phone for future reference. I often have these bradycardia episodes sometimes tachycardia too with irregular beats and palpatations etc so it will be interesting to see the kardia results when it occurs. Already I'm happy with the kardiamobile and it may be a vital bit of kit to help with my diagnosis along the way.....just wish I bought it sooner.

Thanks to everyone for their advice and views.

Have a good day

Regards

Taz71.