Can anyone recommend a reliable monitor for AF, where recorded readings can be sent direct from a mobile to a cardiologist?

[Moonriver]

I had two AF episodes this year, a four day one and one which lasted several hours and reverted naturally. I have had PVCs in the past and odd beats for weeks and now I suspect I am in AF again for three days. I am hoping it will settle! without having to seek medical help. A good monitor would be useful to record the event and find out if it is AF or another arrhythmia? What fun this all is!!

[mjames1]

Kardia 6L. Easy to use and Medical grade. Let you email the EKG straight from your smart phone. Apple Watch would be another choice. Both have certain pluses and minuses. But if main purpose is to simply capture an event that you are aware is going on, I would go with a 6L.

Jim

[Moonriver in reply to mjames1]

Thanks for info Jim. Do they differentiate between all the different arrhythmias?

[mjames1 in reply to Moonriver]

They have a built in artificial intelligence that can analyze a few basic arrhythmias. For a monthly fee, the Kardia will analyze a few more.

But if you're going to send them to an electrophysiologist (ep), it really doesn't matter because they will analyze them themselves. In fact, most ep's don't pay attention to machine analysis, even on the 12 lead ekg machined in their own office. They instead rely on their training.

Jim

[Moonriver in reply to mjames1]

Do they work on all iPhones?

[mjames1]

They should work on Iphone and most androids. But if in doubt I would "Kardia 6L" and check on their website at alivecor.co.uk

Jim

[Moonriver in reply to mjames1]

Ok thanks

[HC74_2]

I second Kardia for anything like that, my GP and cardiologist accept the readings

[Moonriver in reply to HC74_2]

Thanks for your reply

[Jonathan_C]

If the advice below fails, ask for a loop recorder to be implanted.

[Moonriver in reply to Jonathan_C]

Hi thanks for responding. Do readings go straight to cardiologist? Is it small op? How long does it last?

[Jonathan_C in reply to Moonriver]

I think the op took about 40 minutes, it has to be done in a sterile environment so there is a bit of a palaver around that - mine is set to last 3 years. I have a receiver next to my bed that sends recordings every morning at 2 am.

My loop recorder picked up pauses in my heart - which led me to get a pacemaker.

[fairgo45]

Buy a wellue 24 hour monitor it will be like a holter reading for your cardiologist to interpret also with the Vihealth app that downloads you can send them to him by WhatsApp or email.

[Moonriver in reply to fairgo45]

Thanks for response. Will have a look at that one

[Wonky_heart]

Definitely get the Wellue 24 hour monitor. It allows you to record 24/7 so shows what happens during exercise, sleep etc. and gives an AI analysis. But most importantly, it allows excellent printouts / downloads to share which my EP said was the clearest he'd seen (he had previously recommended the Kardia). I have a Kardia but it only gives a short recording and you have to sit still as movement can interfere with the recordings. I've had countless hosp ECGs and several holters which always managed to miss my A Fib, but as I can record for as long as I like, I've captured several episodes and am now waiting for an ablation.

[Moonriver in reply to Wonky_heart]

Thanks for info. Did you find the Wellue complicated to use?

[Wonky_heart in reply to Moonriver]

No, it's very straightforward. The device clips onto a belt that's worn around the chest. It helps to moisten the chest strap contacts when putting on. It then records away without you needing to do anything. When you want to download any info, just snap off the device from the belt and plug into the computer to download. It also allows real time views on a phone app which I find useful. If I've felt a run of odd beats, I can look at the phone recordings and see what happened. The printouts are really good. Whenever I have to go to A&E I take the printouts of what happened and it really helps them understand. My EP said it was the clearest printout he'd seen. I have no regrets in getting this.

[Moonriver in reply to Wonky_heart]

Sounds really effective. When you say plug it into a computer, can you do so with iPad and Apple iPhone?

[Wonky_heart in reply to Moonriver]

I don't have any apple devices so I'm not sure. I can record via an app on my android phone and assume it also works on an apple phone. You can certainly get printouts from these. However, I find by downloading from the device onto my computer via the webpage (through a usb clip) I can print off only the pages I need rather than entire sessions. If the ipad has a usb port, then I see no problems at all but you can use the contact page on the Wellue site to ask them.

[Moonriver in reply to Wonky_heart]

Thanks

[Afibbingnewbie]

hi Apple Watch series 9 or above , is what I use , very good , regards

[Glenfiddich]

Kardia for me.

[Moonriver in reply to Glenfiddich]

Been looking at prices for six lead they all vary. Which is best site to buy from?

[Glenfiddich in reply to Moonriver]

Direct from Kardia.

[Fullofheart]

Kardia!!

[OceanPaddler]

I can understand you wanting to keep track of your AF symptoms. I am sorry but I think it is unrealistic to think you can send all ECG traces to your cardiologist. They have many many of us under their care.

I use an Apple Watch and it gives me ‘AF burden’ which is % of time I have been in AF. This helps me give summary when I go to clinic. I keep a diary too.

Hope you find a system that supports you.

[Moonriver in reply to OceanPaddler]

Thanks but I would not send masses of readouts to him. I wd just like to identify if I am in AF or having PVCs or PACs or anything else that hits the deck! By sending one trace he cd pinpoint it. People have been so helpful here on sharing their views so thanks to all

[Anothernewbie]

Yes, Kardia. I have an Apple Watch which has an ECG monitor, but my local hospital does not recognise its results, even though they are the same as Kardia. The hospital has Kardia in its coronary wards for patients to use. BHF sell them.

[Outsidethelines]

My EP told me to buy the basic KardiaMobile, single lead. I was a bit put out at first, being asked to pay out for a piece of medical equipment, but it’s been invaluable. It enables me to easily email him my EKG readings from my iPhone when an AF episode happens. It’s also very helpful for letting me know quickly and definitively whether or not I’ve gone into AF. Especially when my pulse is weak and I’m groggy in the middle of the night.

Occasionally, like yesterday morning, there’s clearly something else going on with my heart, feels like it could be AF, but turns out not to be. Doing multiple Kardia readings during the day reassured me it wasn’t AF and saved me from taking unnecessaryPIP, with its nasty side effects. Decided I’d probably just been overdoing things and needed to take a duvet day, which I did. Old-fashioned solution, that worked for me😊

[Moonriver in reply to Outsidethelines]

Sounds useful. The six lead gives more info? Glad you are not in AF

[AmatureKnitter]

Kardia is generally well recognised. However, the usability isn't great. You have to recognise you're in AF, retrieve the Kardia from where-ever you keep it, wait for it to pair with your phone sit perfectly still and take a reading. I abandoned mine because of the logistics of using it and often my episodes had passed. It's also extremely prone to noise and mine picked up a lot of external RF interference.

I now have a Fourth Frontier chest strap. Does the same job as the Kardia only you wear it all day like a standard heart-rate monitor. The battery and storage lasts 24 hours in constant use. It gives a lot more info - body shock, breath rate, HR variability and you can wear it in the gym. It has a phone app and an internet portal producing reports and valuable insight. You can export to PDF and email to a clinician. Because it's in direst contact with your chest the output is less prone to interference. An interesting competitor is the Wellue. You can buy stickers for the Wellue to position it like a Zio monitor. Both give comparable output to the Zio.

As an aside, I also have an Aktiia blood pressure monitor that is very useful too.

[richard_jw]

I have a Kardia single lead.

I posted this a few days ago

healthunlocked.com/afassoci...

Basically you get an idea of whether the current 30 second recording sees AF. If you pay (£100/year or more if you pay monthly) you get more.

I am not too confident about the accuracy of Kardia results, as I have indicated in the post.

[KeepingHealthy]

I have the 6l Kardia Mobile that was recommended to me by my Cardiologist and it has been worth every penny. It is very easy to use and for downloading your ECG's.

[Moonriver in reply to KeepingHealthy]

Thanks for info

[Moonriver in reply to KeepingHealthy]

👍

[fishonabike]

If you cardiologist needs you to do this it is us to them to supply the equipment

If you supply the darz yourself there is not guarantee the the readings will be checked regularly unless this has been requested by the cardiologist

If you are concerned discus the issue with the relevant doctor - oddly they expect us to comply with their treatment but they don't seem to be able to comply with our needs or requests☹

[Visigoth]

I use an Apple Watch now but in the early days I used the FibriCheck app which produces reports that can be emailed to your cardiologist or GP. If you’re happy to pay a monthly fee your readings will also be scrutinised by a medical practitioner in the US who will report back to you, and you can email all the reports. I found it very accurate and it’s something you can use immediately without waiting to buy a device. You can cancel it once you’ve got a device that you’re happy with.

[Moonriver in reply to Visigoth]

I have used this app too. Was useful but wanted a clear view of ecg.

[Visigoth in reply to Moonriver]

Yes it’s a bit different isn’t it, but I got used to the way the dots were plotted so I could see myself whether I was having ectopics or AF. But then that’s what I needed at the time. Now I use an Apple Watch.

[Moonriver in reply to Visigoth]

Does the Apple Watch differentiate between the different arrthymias and which model do you have?

[Visigoth in reply to Moonriver]

I’ve got the Apple Watch 7. I think it really only tells you if you’re in AF but the newer models might differentiate- I’m not sure.

[GCWhits]

I would ask your cardiologist about having an implanted loop recorder. Two reasons: 1) it's supplied by the NHS; 2) they monitor the recordings and will contact you if they spot anything untoward. I had mine for 3 1/2 years until the battery died.

[Moonriver in reply to GCWhits]

Thanks. Another writer mentioned this too. I wondered how you came to get a loop recorder? Did you have AF?

[jab177]

I use a Kardia 6l. It is very easy to use and connects in a second to my iphone. It is also very small, so easily portable. My Cardiologist recommended it.

[Moonriver in reply to jab177]

👍 thanks for the info

[bluemoon572]

I have both a smartwatch and a Kardia. The advantage of the smartwatch is that you can record a rhythm strip anywhere while you're wearing it . The Kardia is OK if you have it with you at all times and you have your smartphone with you as well as you need it to do the recording. You can email both strips to a physician but the Kardia tracing is a clearer one on most occasions and the physician will have an easier time interpreting it. I hope this helps.