Use of Portable ECG Monitors

Kardia Mobile

by AgentX86 - 2024-05-24 20:36:19

Yes, that's a problem.  They mean it when they say it's not for people with pacemaker but not because it's dangerous or useless, but because the automatic arrhythmia detection doesn't work and it hasn't been approved for this use.

That certainly doen't mean they're useless.  The EKG is still very useful, but you'll need just a little more information than otherwise.  Afib will show itself as a random ("irregularly irregular", in medical speak, or "chaotic" in math-speak). The "beats" will be completely at random, and there will be no normal beats between these abnormal beats. Training the eye a little better, you'll see there are no 'p' waves.

Other arrhythmias, which Kardia Mobile doesn't automatically detect but may look a little like Afib, can be eliminated by looking at their pattern.  PACs and PVCs can feel the same, but you'll notice that there are normal beats between these irregular beats. On the Kardia, you'll also see a normal beat, followed immediately by a wierd beat, with another normal beat, not where it would be if there was no irregular beat but your pacemaker will place it at its programmed time after the PAC/PVC.

Again, with just a little bit of work, you can do a pretty good job of reading these. The devices are also great at recording the arrhythmias to send to your doctor for review, or save for future reference.

Electrical interferrence can be an issue.  It's generally because the back contact isn't making a good connection with your leg. Since a single lead reading works, this is absolutely the problem. Lead-1 is from hand to hand.

A little water can help, particularly if you have dry skin. No cream, just water or maybe water with a little salt in it.  If you see huge, wild, swings in the readings, there is an electrical disturbance and you'll have to take care of it before continuing. If you have more questions, many here have Kardia-6Ls and can help.

Kardia 6 lead monitor

by Gemita - 2024-05-25 00:15:57

Graham, I have a six lead Kardia mobile and “rarely” get interference during a recording.  It has happened once, when the recording was unreadable, but I was not comfortable or steady when I made the recording. 

I make sure that I steady myself into a comfortable position as far as I possibly can during any “irregular” or fast arrhythmia before attempting to place my monitor against my inner knee, the position that works well for me.   I have set a tracing to be of 60 seconds duration rather than 30 seconds. This seems to be of more value and gives me and my doctors more to look at to make an accurate determination of the rhythm disturbance present.

I don’t know what else I can tell you, apart from taking it with you when you next attend your clinic appointment and ask a technician to try it out for accuracy?  The technicians might be able to give you some tips on its use.  I certainly wouldn’t give up so easily after paying out.  

I have signed up for the KardiaCare advanced subscription service, at least for now, but I may not continue with this, although I do find that I am getting more in the way of feedback by having it.  Taking out this subcription enables me to receive reports on additional rhythm disturbances like PVCs and PACs too in addition to AF and to normal sinus rhythm.

The manufacturers of Kardia are not able to confirm Kardia can be used accurately with a pacemaker as they have not tested the product for use with pacemakers/ICDs, or got the studies to back up what they could or could not legally say. That doesn’t mean that it is not a useful tool for us.  It certainly is, especially if we take the recordings in to our doctors for interpretation or can read our own ECGs.  I certainly wouldn't abandon your Kardia just yet for another monitor.  It really is one of the best home monitors out there to detect AF.  

I would speak to your health professionals first, to see what they can do to help?  After all, the Kardia Mobile may help avoid the need for frequent future hospital holter monitoring, so to get it to work will be of immense benefit.   

I suspect your ectopic beats are causing real symptoms.  For me, atrial ectopics often lead to runs of AF and can develop into longer episodes of AF if atrial ectopics are frequent.  

Kardia

by piglet22 - 2024-05-25 06:33:16

I don't have one, but I'm certainly more interested in abnormal activity since VE (ectopics) weighed in 18 months ago.

If you are in a poor rhythm, two fingers will tell you and you won't be feeling well.

My goto kit is the BP monitor and the old Omron M10-IT upper arm instrument has been invaluable, especially in providing evidence for unconvinced medics.

It seems odd to have a PM for symptoms of heart block then find that it can't cope with ectopics, so back to square one.

For info, increasing the dose of beta blockers seems to be the best course of action 

Thanks

by Graham Harry - 2024-05-26 09:27:06

Thank you for your comments. I am finding that the one lead option works well and provides good information now that I have used it a few times. By the way, I am on 10mg bisoprolol which I am told is the maximum dose.

Kardia

by Selwyn - 2024-05-27 11:12:33

Kardia is OK for screening. It is most reliable for the detection of atrial fibrillation. In general you cannot rely on a Kardia for diagnosis, nor should you. 

 It is a useful tool for recording. The 6 lead machine is better than the one lead machine  for screening. Save to .pdf and get someone with a knowledge of ECGs to look at the paper copy. 

I like the portability. It goes with me in my wallet.  It recently recorded some atrial flutter ( if you know what you are looking for). I will be showing this to my cardiologist.