Medical devices to monitor heart rhythm (i.e., Alivecor, KardiaMobile)

My Fibit watch alerted me of irregular heart beat. Anytime I walked fast (of which I really walk fast and I have never had any issues) for some days in Dec, it indicated irregular heart beat. I went to urgent care just to be sent to ER immediately. The results were COVID-19. My heart condition and any other organ were all normal. This watch really saved my life. I never ignore its readings or alerts.

Mine usually match. I watch and Kardia card that is.

I have had afib for some time and am taking a blood thinner and a beta blocker. I am interested in purchasing a heart monitor watch and would appreciate any suggestions or information based on your experiences with such devices.

My Apple Watch monitors ( not precisely but good enough for me) and I can view my heart rate and generate a “saveable” ECG. I love it! I am on Elequis and metropol.

Apple Watch bpm excellent device

Hello @isabelk, I moved your discussion and combined it with an existing discussion on heart monitoring wearable devices called, "Medical devices to monitor heart rhythm (i.e., Alivecor, KardiaMobile)" - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/kardiamobile/.

Members in this discussion talk about the Apple Watch, Kardia Mobile and other devices they have used to keep an eye on their hearts activity.

@isabelk, are you wanting to monitor for your own peace-of-mind or were you encouraged to get a heart monitoring device?

I inquire for my own peace of mind.

I hope you won't mind some anecdotal information, Isabel.

I have had two Galaxy watches, both of which are capable of reading both BP and HR, but also capable of rendering an ECG. In fact, my Galaxy 4 was almost five months old when the software update came for we Canadians and our watches were enabled to perform the ECGs. Before then, the Canadian government was reviewing the engineering and data before approving the release of the update to Canadian users of the Samsung watches. My latest, a Galaxy 6 (nothing wrong with the 4, but for some reason Samsung vacillates between a hand rotating bezel feature and not having one. I like the bezel, and the next new issue was the 6, so I snapped one up for 'future' enjoyment and wear), came with the software updated.
I had an ablation in July of '22. It failed. Three months later, while walking slowly with my toddler grandson, his chubby hand wrapped around my extended pinky, I went into AF. I activated the app on my Galaxy and let it do a reading, which it duly deemed AF. My electrophysiologist, bless his heart, actually wanted to see the readout, and asked for a download. I did it, via the phone app called 'Wear', and sent the pdf file to his office. He notified me that he accepted the result and would schedule me for another ablation, which was ultimately successful.

i can't speak to other watches, but have you investigated the Kardia? They've been around, are durable, reliable, and very good. They are not wearable...you use them like a smartphone, hand-held.

Now for my anecdote: when I was in the ER, after my first ablation failed, I kept glancing at my watch. It almost rolled it eyes and said, ''YESSS...you're still in AF...dammit!" And so did my wife who held out her hand and said, 'Gimme...!' I had to surrender My Precious. And it was the right thing to do. My point is, the watch can nanny you to death. AF begets AF....that's one of the field's aphorisms. You want it to subside and to go away. But glancing at a tell-tale every 30 seconds just keeps you on the treadmill of anxiety, too much information, and not much else to do about it. I don't know why you want a watch that can detect AF, but be warned that it might not be the best thing for you if you tend to have anxiety.

@isabelk I also use the Kardia. It shows fib and heart rate, as well as supraventricular ectopy, PVC's. You link it to your phone's Bluetooth using an app on the phone. The Kardia is as long as a credit card and narrower. You put two fingers on either side and watch for 30 seconds. You can also use more leads, which involves placing it on a bare knee.

The Kardia is not continuous. It runs for 30 seconds when you choose to use it. You can use it over and over again. But it is not a device to detect asymptomatic afib over periods of time. For that I get a patch monitor from my doctor (in my case, no hidden afib, I always feel it, so Kardia works for me).

I second Divertada's comments above.
My Apple iWatch Series 9 gives me blood oxygen, EKG, heart rate graphs, audible alarms, and sleep rem analysis. And no subscription!