Heart monitors

[Dormouse777]

Hi I've just been diagnosed with A Fib and wondered if a smart watch or heart monitor are worth having. If so what makes are recommend.?? Thanks

[Pundit999]

I recently got an Apple Watch to help monitor my heart rate, ecg etc after an urgent visit to the cath lab.

I do not have Afib but when setting the watch up I saw options to monitor for Afib. Cost is not a lot so it is a good thing to use in my opinion. I also read articles a few months ago people praising the feature.

[bluemoon572]

In my experience, I think a smart watch is more useful in people who have intermittent A Fib rather than chronic,steady,controlled A Fib. In the former, if you're uncertain if you're having a bout of A Fib,the smart watch can inform you and you can forward the rhythm strip to your cardiology team for validation and instructions. However with persistent A Fib you could still benefit by running an occasional rhythm strip to assure that your ventricular rate is controlled. Apple and Samsung have good smart watches. I hope this helps.

[AlanScott7 in reply to bluemoon572]

I had intermittent AFib episodes during 2024, then a HA in Aug. Since my phone is Samsung Android, I opted to get a Samsung Watch7. It works very well, except for the blood pressure monitoring which is a bit inaccurate. Highly recommended. Battery lasts for a couple of days between charges.

It's very good at monitoring for AFib, I use it two or three times per day, and luckily my AFib has not reoccurred. I'm not sure if it's the drugs or the changes in my diet that have removed the AFib episodes.

[bluemoon572 in reply to AlanScott7]

My Samsung smart watch doesn't measure BP. I've heard from a couple of Apple watch owners that their watch gives erratic BP values. I suppose the sensing mechanism in these watches are not potent enough to measure BP accurately. I'd only hang my hat on a real BP monitor for reliability.

[timelucky]

I got a Withings watch which has been interesting but not sure that it's really that useful other than to do an immediate ECG if I have any problems. I found in the beginning that I got far too involved in how many steps, sleep quality, O2 levels etc etc but to what end?

I also got a Kardia, same thing in the beginning taking measurements everyday, reading how to interpret the result.....now I use it only if I have a deviation from normal that is enough to be troubling such that I want a record for my EP.

Cheers

[BlueDouble007]

I have used Withings, Apple and Kardiacare devices. Apple and Kardiacare are good for checking for AFiB. You can also use an app called Fibricheck which uses the camera lense on your smartphone to measure your heartrate and monitor AFiB. Fibricheck and Kardiacare require a subscription, but the reports give access to a specialist remotely.

[DE-AF]

I use an Apple Watch, and yes it is useful to track AF and provide you with an ECG type trace, typically I notice the AF before the watch sends an alert which mine rarely does. It can be set up to monitor low and high heart rates, with the high heart rate at rest being a better indicator of AF. An additional benefit of the watch is in helping me to establish trends and identifying possible AF triggers. That said, you can become obsessed with monitoring your AF, which if you have no other symptoms other than a report from your watch, can send you down the rabbit hole of becoming preoccupied with watching for bouts of AF.

[Kenbat]

I have used my Apple Watch for a number of years to monitor my heart rate. The watch face can be chosen which shows the current heart rate and day tracked data at a glance . If it starts to rise and move about I then check for AF. This is usually accurate . The good thing is that the watch is constantly tracking your rate and sending data to your phone. Gives you an idea of frequency and strength of AF. Now had an ablation and so far AF settled down!

[Crowortak]

Apple Watch for me. It really gives me peace of mind and can be calibrated to suit your needs. Also good for identifying trends with overall health and how one thing, like poor sleep, impacts on other areas.

Understanding your heart rate zones throughout the day when undertaking various tasks can also help you to manage and control things.

[CatLady246]

My husband was diagnosed in 2020 with afib was told by his cardiologist to get rid of the smart watch and stop monitoring his heart rate. The reason being the focus on the numbers was causing more stress and issues with him. They put a heart monitor on him and he was looking at his watch. They were totally different readings. The watch was spiking constantly and the heart monitor was not. He stopped wearing it that day and not put it on since. He's had the op up through the vein into the heart coming up to 2 years, he still does get flutters very very occasionally but through food monitoring narrowed the episodes down to salted peanuts and anything with peanuts or peanuts oil in. Good luck.

[Ewloe]

I’ve an Apple smart watch that talks to my phone. I use it to track my improvements. I do have bits of 3 arrhythmia’s. And selectively use it with them. There’s a but. A number of people can get quite obsessive with their gadgets and heart. Yes mine helped the doctors diagnose my arrhythmias as it does a single lead ecg. I never wear it at night, I listen to my body first and any gadget is not 100%. Use whatever you get selectively.

[SaxmanAD]

Hi, I have tried several watches over the last couple of years including guard pro 2 recently which was constantly on average 12 BPM out. Prior to that I used amazfit t rex 2 which was accurate against my Kardia machine & last week I have upgraded to an amazfit trex 3 which I have measured & is accurate. There's lots of more specialist watches around but I wanted an all round usage & it works. Good luck.

[Kalbim65]

I purchased my Kardia 4 years after Afib diagnosis as meds were no longer controlling Afib and needed to keep track of episodes. I use it on as need basis so if I’m having symptoms i check it and save result otherwise I don’t get obsessed. This past year has seen my Afib worsen and the recordings and reports have been invaluable to help me and my consultant decide whether to have ablation or not.

Like all gadgets, don’t get obsessed or you’ll add anxiety to your symptoms 🤩

Wish you well.

[Lexi72]

I would recommend a Kardia 6 lead monitor which you can use, among other things, to pick up occasional incidents of Afib there are no leads like a normal ECG you just put it on your ankle or knee and have both fingers on the Katie’s. I recently upgraded my fit bit to a sense 2 which I use to monitor sleep and steps and heart rate which does have an ecg but it does not give you result if your heart rate is below 59 resting or if you have Afib. So definitely not a Fitbit

[Lexi72 in reply to Lexi72]

Sorry my autocorrect is misbehaving should have said you cannot use a Fitbit for monitoring Afib if your heart rate is below 50 not 59 or have diagnosed Afib . I love my Fitbit for general health monitoring but the ecg function seems quite limited really to pick up Afib if you don’t know you have it. Am not sure if other watches are better. Recommend the Kardia 6 lead which of course is not a watch but you can then get a bit excessive. You can record and email the ecg results as a pdf