pls recommend home device to monitor atrial fibrillation, irregular heart rhthym

[david_je]

I have been diagnosed with paroxysmal afib and specialist says I should monitor at home to see how frequent/persistent it is before deciding whether to go on anti-coagulant. Has anyone done this and can relate their experience and recommend a monitoring device and where to buy?

Thanks.  

[sandyf]

14 minutes ago, david_je said:

Has anyone done this and can relate their experience and recommend a monitoring device and where to buy?

I have a Microlife blood pressure monitor and that has arrhythmia detection on the pulse measurement. I don't pay much attention as already on anticoagulant.

You should be able to get one at any decent medical store, possibly Fascino.

https://www.microlife-thailand.com/bp-b3-afib-advanced/

[Dante99]

Experience with several hospitals is that they have a device to do that which they connect you up with and you wear it for 24 hours then return to disconnect and get results.  Seems like your "specialist" should have mentioned it unless he works someplace that does not have the equipment.  Ram or Sripat do have it.

[david_je]

1 hour ago, sandyf said:

I have a Microlife blood pressure monitor and that has arrhythmia detection on the pulse measurement. I don't pay much attention as already on anticoagulant.

You should be able to get one at any decent medical store, possibly Fascino.

https://www.microlife-thailand.com/bp-b3-afib-advanced/

I will look into that. Were you in same situation as me, using it to determine frequency of afib before deciding to go on anti-coagulant? Thank you.

[david_je]

1 hour ago, Dante99 said:

Experience with several hospitals is that they have a device to do that which they connect you up with and you wear it for 24 hours then return to disconnect and get results.  

You may be referring to Holter monitor, which I already used and detected an hour of afib during the 24 hours. But now I need to monitor rhythm longer-term with my own home device, to see how often it occurs over weeks and months.  Thanks.

[gargamon]

You want one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/KardiaMobile-Single-Lead-Personal-Monitor-FDA-Cleared/dp/B01A4W8AUK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1FCO0Q5K74N95&keywords=Afib+detector&qid=1674197320&sprefix=afib+edetector%2Caps%2C812&sr=8-1

There's also a newer model about the size of a credit card.

[sandyf]

21 hours ago, david_je said:

I will look into that. Were you in same situation as me, using it to determine frequency of afib before deciding to go on anti-coagulant? Thank you.

No, The AF was detected over 15 years ago when I was still in the UK. The doctor wanted to put me on warfarin but I declined, was already taking aspirin and told him I would stick with that.

About 7 years ago I went for a checkup package at a nearby hospital and they suggested I see a cardiologist. It wasn't my first time and nothing had been said previously so I started seeing the cardiologist at Bang Saen They did an echo and said that apart from the AF there was no indication of any problems. He did say however that at my age, 69 at the time, the risks were increasing and that I should start taking anticoagulant. I said what had happened previously and he said that in 2013 some new anticoagulants had been approved. Took a while to make my mind up but later I started taking apixaban and have done since.

Following the checkup I decided to buy a BP monitor and the Microlife seemed to be the best option. I wasn't aware of the AF detection when I bought it, the warning appears every time I use it but a bit academic.

[Sheryl]

BP machine will only detect AF at the time you take your BP, not continuously which is what OP needs as his issue is episodic.

 

Similarly devices that record an EKG on demand, do nto monitor continuously.

 

OP tgere are apps that run on Samsung smart watches  https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00087703/

[david_je]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

BP machine will only detect AF at the time you take your BP, not continuously which is what OP needs as his issue is episodic.

 

Similarly devices that record an EKG on demand, do nto monitor continuously.

 

OP tgere are apps that run on Samsung smart watches  https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00087703/

Smart watch would be ideal for continuous monitoring but much more expensive. Cardiologist said it would be okay to use Kardia or similar on-demand EKG device twice/few times day because afib events only of concern -- as far as need for anti-coagulant -- if they come frequently or persist long periods. If they are frequent or persistent, then we are to decide to start anti-coagulant. He thought it would be better to monitor and then decide because apart from my age (65), I do not have risk of stroke from afib, and anti-coagulant does have bleeding risk (in addition to long-term high costs).

Thank you. 

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, david_je said:

Smart watch would be ideal for continuous monitoring but much more expensive. Cardiologist said it would be okay to use Kardia or similar on-demand EKG device twice/few times day because afib events only of concern -- as far as need for anti-coagulant -- if they come frequently or persist long periods. If they are frequent or persistent, then we are to decide to start anti-coagulant. He thought it would be better to monitor and then decide because apart from my age (65), I do not have risk of stroke from afib, and anti-coagulant does have bleeding risk (in addition to long-term high costs).

Thank you. 

At 65 you might want to vonsider ablation