Kardia Reviews

by Robert124589

So I purchased the hardware heart rate monitor and Kardia allows you to check for atrial fib (irregular heartbeat)And this functionality works just fine. Cardia recently sent an email saying they have added three different heart disorder conditions that this device is now capable of detecting but they expect you to pay $100 a year to unlock this new feature. Well it makes sense to me to have subscriptions for things like new content that they have to continually develop, it makes absolutely zero cents to have to pay a subscription to unlock a new hardware feature that does not require any ongoing cost to the company. This particular feature should be unlocked with a one time in app purchase if anything. When I spend money on a hardware device I expect the company to stand behind their device and continually update refined the software without forcing additional cost onto me as the consumer. It’s not like this is a completely free app and I haven’t given them a good chunk of my money already. This is nothing but a money grab. No one should pay a monthly subscription to unlock a hardware feature.

by Flora319

I was very excited to use this as a tool to help monitor my heart issues, since my symptoms are not always consistent this made me feel better about having the ability to record an EKG at the precise moment I was having symptoms. TO MY EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT I found out that my expensive band is just that! Unless I pay EXTRA for the “premium” subscription, I can’t even record an EKG to send to my cardiologist for his review.
To make matters worse, the customer service I received was ridiculous. First, she wouldn’t answer a question without me giving her my contact information (I just had a question, why is my information needed to just answer a question), then after clarifying that my this app band will only work if I PAY EXTRA for their premium subscription. The rep attempted to “pacify” me stating, “you didn’t have to buy the watch, sorry you didn’t see this on the website prior to purchasing the band”.
This is all aside from the fact that Kardia drains my watch battery and takes over the face of the watch making it difficult to use other features on the watch.
I FEEL LIKE I WAS SCAMMED! I bought this to help my health NOT CAUSE MORE STRESS! I will definitely be telling people about this experience.

by Deaf And Frustrated

When I first purchased this in August 2021 it worked quite well..When you deleted a reading it deleted the one you were trying to delete. There were very few unclassified readings. Now using the delete option is a crap shoot; almost never does it delete the reading you are trying to delete and it almost a guarantee if there is an A-fib or Wide QRS reading, that will be the one deleted even if it is up to 4 or 5 readings below the one you are trying to delete. Also the number of unclassified readings indicates that there is definitely a problem with Kardia . Either that or my heart beats very differently than the norm.
Please fix the delete function or at a minimum the option to reverse the delete action.
Kardia is now so screwy I am now researching similar products to replace this one. It isn’t worth the aggravation and I don’t really trust the readings anymore.

by Walker1127

The watch band was a Christmas gift and I installed Kardia the day after Christmas. The very first thing I noticed was only 8 days left in my trial period, they advertised a 30 day trial.
About me, my heart function due several heart attacks and ultimate quad bypass surgery. Every EKG done on my heart SHOWS AS ABNORMAL DUE TO THE DAMAGE. Every ekg done with Kardia shows a normal result which was very suspicious.
I contacted support twice asking about the accuracy of their app, each time i was referred to my doctor. My doctor has nothing to do with your app or Apple Watch band.
In my opinion if in fact this was an ekg done on my heart it should have at least show that my heart is in fact damaged but Kardia always says normal which leaves me to believe only normal is all Kardia is capable of displaying. Normal is NOT a word associated with my heart owing that my heart function is less than %30. My heart damage is caused by exposure to agent orange while is south vietnam.
Now the trial period, in my opinion the trial period should start when the watch and app are installed not when the bans was purchased. As stated i had a 7 day trial, not near enough time for a fair or valid assessment of Kardia or watch band. If Kardia and band are even close to accurate it would show an abnormal EKG. THIS SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS and not very well thought out. And once more 7 days not near enough time for a proper evaluation .
Dewey Pollock in central Florida

by Stlr79

When I originally got this device and used it with Kardia it was great. But the problem I keep having is suddenly every time I go to use it it’s always getting electrical interference. I bought this device 6 plus months ago. I used it sent information to my doctor and then my heart palpitations basically went away for a few months so I stopped using it. Then recently they started happening me again so I’ve been trying to use the device. Now every time I go to use it either get a message saying there’s electrical interference or it takes too long to calibrate or communicate with my phone or halfway into the reading it just loses my heart rate and stops the reading. I don’t know if it’s a software issue but this thing went from being great to hardly been able to get a reading. I’m very careful about where I place it when I do the six lead readingBut I’m even having issues with the single lead reading. I will place my fingers on at the same way I’ve always done and it doesn’t even register my finger pressing against the device. The battery say they’re full so unless that thing is reading incorrectly maybe I need a new battery. IDK, it’s just very frustrating.

by ⚡️🫀

I loveee the this app device!! It takes beautiful recordings and if you do it right, there is minimal artifact. It’s a great tool for patients to catch episodes and abnormal rhythms for their doctor to see.
However, the “clinician review” this app offers is NOT worth it!! I work with a Cardiac Electrophysiologist (cardiologist who specifically specializes it heart rhythms) and we tested a theory; I sent in some of my own abnormal rhythm strips (obviously my doctor and I already knew what they showed) and both times the “Clinical Analysis by a Board-Certified Cardiologist” was incorrect! And very far off from the correct diagnosis too. A cardiologist may be able to differentiate between basic/common rhythms, but they are not well versed in the arrhythmia world.
If you are paying to have your EKG reviewed, it should be by an Electrophysiologist! Otherwise, it’s a waste of money IMO and you may get a wrong diagnosis back.

by TombD

Spent very frustrating 1/2 hour trying to take my first this app reading with the this app app telling me “it could not connect to my (iPhone 7 iOS 12.1.2) microphone and to kill all apps that used the microphone or speakers”. After killing 5 or 6 apps one after the other, was still getting error message. I wear hearing aids connected to phone via Bluetooth so took a wild guess they might have something to do with the issue although I do not think they access the microphone. But after turning off Bluetooth, this app measurement went smoothly. Hopefully, this might help someone else if everything suggested by this app app fails. Rated 4 stars initially since this app app did take first reading successfully BUT should have suggested Bluetooth OFF option to enable first (& future?) readings.

by Jhw56

I really like Kardia, however, in the medications tab there is no way to input multiple tablets, ie take 2 pills twice a day.
I also don’t have the option of a tablet that is twice the dose. So with minor change, could be better.
Also in the blood pressure, it suggests an Omron monitor, which I have, but it won’t connect to it wirelessly, yet this wrist monitor will connect to another app. So I have to enter data manually, which takes away so of the benefits that wireless connection gives.
I tried to purchase the premium subscription in Kardia and it was difficult. Instead of the subscription it purchased another device which was around the same price point. I had to cancel the order before it was shipped. Why is it so hard to order the subscription?
If these issues were fixed, I would give Kardia five stars.

by NYPC2

..although setup was a bit mystifying. - I got the basic KardiaMobile device.

I’m not sure why it required microphone access as it already requested Bluetooth access. I don’t like apps having access to my microphone…

I’d have liked there to be one of those plastic insulating pull tabs on the battery so that I could be confident that the battery was fresh - especially because my first attempts at pairing failed consistently - leading me to suspect a flat battery. It eventually paired after I kept tapping the device, moving it around and had removed and re-inserted the battery - however, the signal has never been stronger than “weak”.

Also, the battery cover was VERY difficult to get back on and required excessive force. I had to use a screwdriver to nudge it into place and I thought I was going to break it…

Kardia is easy enough to use, but as I am using an iPad I would REALLY appreciate a “Landscape” mode…

While it’s good to see your ECG results and the test for 3 conditions, I think there should be a less expensive way / one off payment to get the results for the other 3 conditions it says it can detect but won’t give results for unless you upgrade to what appears to be a $10/mth rolling subscription… There needs to be a “mid-ground”…

by Drashish123456

I’m a internist and I purchased this to use during the COVID outbreak for EKGs in patients to calculate qTC intervals. I’m also a consumer and like to check my EKG. The device is great, super easy, user friendly and nice tracing to send to a doctor.
BUT here is the bad side. “Premium” program. It seems every business these days is trying to what I believe rip off the consumer with monthly charges. First BP apps were free or you paid $1.99 to buy. Now you pay $1.99 or $6.99 per month for the privilege of what are limited benefits and those that do benefit, represent a tiny portion of users. It’s looks greedy and in very poor taste and occupies valuable app screen space. At the very least, keep it out of Kardia . Have some class. And price your product appropriately since no one really need a monthly subscription for EKGs. And please tell that to your entire industry.

by Proactve Patient

I have had atrial fibrillation for a number of years. During that time if I felt anything “off” I went to the ER. After relaxing and working with meditation all the symptoms went away every time. The doctors seemed to be as surprised as I was. There were many false alarms. At the hospital I was routinely checked-out. With 20 minutes of meditation all the systems were normal. My cardiologist was pleased with how I was being proactive. He showed me the this app app and I purchased it that day. Kardia gave me such peace of mind. I could use it to determine if I was having a heart event and needed to relax and check again to determine if I needed to go to the ER. Now, which is two years later, I have done routine daily readings and I’ve had no sign of a-fib except two times. I sent the results for an immediate reading and feedback. 20 minutes later—but using meditation and quietly coping whatever was going wrong had already resolved any concerns before my results even had been reported back to me. I keep my yearly check-ups and I’m doing great. Given my experience I recommend the this app app. It’s a great tool in your fight with heart disease. It’s peace of mind and no false alarm trips to the ER. It’s a huge piece of what I do to stay well and deal with my heart irregularities in a very wise way. Best of luck to anyone reading this post.

by Dinghbat

30+ years in Critical Care nursing, and w/ a few health issues of my own now, I can only say “Wow!” This is a great tool for those wishing to know if they are having Atrial Fibrillation episodes so they can get prompt treatment. Treatment of A-fib is vital in preventing strokes, death, and disability.
I was able to determine my skipped beats were not PVC’s from coffee consumption but PJC’s and probable culprit taking more levothyroxine than my thyroid levels warrant (plus my old pal, caffeine). Got my thyroid levels checked and Bingo! The intrinsic interpretation function will not give you that kind of diagnosis (only gives normal or not, a-fib or not options) unless you pay for an expert interpretation ($19) or get Premium package. If you can read ECG’s already, then this can help identify PSVT vs rapid A-fib, and many other dysrhythmias. No substitute for going to your provider, but the ability to share your rhythm strip is REALLY INVALUABLE. Option to carry it on your phone is brilliant because folks always have phones on their person to capture evrnts. I have added it to my first aid kit. Home health agencies should be using these and anyone doing wellness checks on older adults.
I wonder how many lives this tool has saved, and how many strokes it has prevented? Amazing! Thank you!

by Rhythmstrip

Just received mine and put it right to use. Works well. It’s simple and the guided instructions should help even the technophobes amongst us. After retiring as a Paramedic in NYC I truly appreciate how this whole system works. While there is a premium plan there’s no obligation to buy it but it seems like a decent add-on for those without medical experience. I’m ordering a few more to give as gifts. The device itself is a great looking design. I just wish it came with a carry case included. Sorry this sounds like an ad but I’ve been disappointed by medical devices bought online before and I can’t help but be overjoyed at how this exceeds my expectations. Using with an original iPad Pro.

by MeWhoElseBro

Some people were complaining that the ability to save multiple readings requires a paid subscription after the first month trial period, which is true. But that can be easily overcome without the subscription expense. Specifically after each reading you are given an option to create a PDF file of your last reading which you can then save at your favorite location, whether on your phone or in your own personal cloud account. Subsequently you can create an entire library of PDF recordings for future use. You can also forward that PDF to another person via email or text.

Overall I am happy with the hardware and Kardia . Work well, no issues with actual measurements.

by Vnagrecha

This is the precursor of the medical field innovations that bring into your home a quick and powerful diagnosis of your heart and it’s functions.
As one of the early adopters I can only say that my faith in this this app working, was not mislaid.

this app diagnosed me suddenly with a dangerous Atrial Fibrillation caused upon by the addition of an injection issued to “supposedly” keep my diabetes under better control.

My specialist doctor who prescribed me the treatment for diabetes was “sceptical” because of the “this app” test and did nothing for 3 months during which time I had regular periodic fibrillations until I was scheduled for my cardiologist for my ongoing treatment of blood pressure checkup who took an ecg test and confirmed the fibrillation and started a medication course that possibly saved my life.

I heartily recommend this to anyone over the watch band and with the new incoming introduction of the new this app which will be able to take 6 lead tests leading the way for a better future for people to be better aware and take care of themselves.

Lastly, I paid for all devices that I gifted to friends and needy people and the one that I use myself and no inputs what so ever from the this app team or management and this is my own review prompted after almost 3 years of use and MUCH before its prominence thanks to Apple recognizing medical research in homes as the future.

by Thank You Kardia

I purchased the this app because I have a history of tachycardia. I am on a beta-blocker to control my heart rate. Recently, in spite of the beta-blocker, my heart started racing. I ran an EKG on my this app and was shocked to see I was having tachycardia. I took three recordings before going to the E.R. My tachycardia was resolved by the time I reached the E.R., so they sent me home. I uploaded my this app EKGs to my cardiologist. He was simply amazed at the quality of the strip and called the report EXCELLENT. He was happy to be able to see “clearly” what had happened during my tachycardia episode. Based on my this app EKGs, he was able to diagnose Paroxysmal Afib. He adjusted my treatment based on that new diagnosis. I highly recommend this app. If I hadn’t captured my EKG recordings prior to going to the E.R., all I would have had was wasted time that night. You can easily upload a this app recording to your doctor using the MY CHART app.

by Great Disneyland Fan

Have had intermittent attacks of chest pain that I thought was due to GI problems. I was diagnosed with an ulcer. After it was healed I still had several of these attacks. I noticed my heart was beating unusually. Because it happened at night or on the weekends I decided to buy the this app. It was the best thing I have done because on the last attack I was able to record what was happening. I was shocked that it told me I had possible atrial fibrillation. The attack lasted several hours but was gone in the morning. I called The cardiologist and was seen that morning. The EKG was normal and has been ever since. I don’t know when it will happen again,but now I can send the recording directly to my doctor for evaluation. Because of this device I can receive the treatment to prevent future episodes. I strongly recommend this device for anyone who has issues with their heart especially if it occurs intermittently.

by Vero1800

I actually bought this device from my sister-in-law about two years ago she has microvalve prolapses Proximately 3 1/2 months ago I wound up in the emergency room with a fib, she wasn’t using a device so I took it back and then I check my heart to her three times a day I’ve had two more events that require hospitalization, and one event that I treated at home I could feel the a fib, but have you confirmed that it started and more importantly that it stopped was most important the last time I was in the hospital I was in a fib for about 30 hours and they give me some new medication and I was eating a small light meal when all of a sudden I look at my wife and said I just converted so before calling the nurse I got my little device out put it on the table top bingo sinus rhythm.
I don’t know where absolutely nowhere without that on my person, there’s also a very convenient flap that you can put a couple of what I call in the pocket pills that I can take when I go into a fib to help stop it best $89 I have ever spent in my life I’ve spent twice that thank you

by Augustine Of Hippo

First of all, this device correctly diagnosed AFib following a heart valve replacement. It happened on Sunday. I sent the EKG to my surgeon. He concurred with the diagnosis arranged an appointment the next day with my cardiologist. I got on blood thinners and beta blocker and had a Cardioversion two days later. I’ve had one other episode since then and we adjusted my medication.
This is the latest version of Kardia that just came out. The data transfer with my OMRON BP monitor works much better. Transfers first time, every time. I have both the 1-Lead this app Mobile and I just got the 6-Lead version. Easy to switch between the two or to choose 1L or 6L on my 6L device.
The diary has gotten awkward. The Meds, BP, weight, are all in a big list. You must scroll through the list to find the item you are trying to mark. I’d recommend having the diary items items back in groups, EKG, weight, BP, Meds, etc. Also, there should be a way to mark Meds taken by groups- Morning, Noon, Dinner, Bedtime.
Finally, with COVID-19 going around, it would be nice to have diary entry for body temperature. Also, for diabetics, an entry for Blood Glucose level, with averaging/graphing functions. That would make Kardia a one-stop shop.

by Larry P. C.

I am very pleased at how easy and accurate the this app works. When I showed it to the Doctors, they couldn’t believe how close it matched there equipment. My problem started several years ago when, for no apparent reason, my heart started beating fast to the point I had to lay down in order to slow it down. This became a random event that could come on at any time without any warning. So I bought this device to see what was going on. When I went to the Cardiologist, I new I had Tachycardia. He confirmed it in more detail saying I had paroxysmal supraventricular Tachycardia and Premature ventricular complex. In order to fix the problem for ever, I had a Cardiac Ablation procedure performed and to this day, it never came back. I still use the this app Mobile to check my EKG and Blood Pressure every day when possible. It saved my life.

by Jonas1423

I don’t have medical issues now, fortunately. I shelled out the $200 for the this app band and I do like the product based on the 30-day free trial. I like the idea of getting notified if something develops. So, I am willing to subscribe to the premium service, but I’m a long time ago done with entering my credit card into everybody’s website, not when Apple Pay offers such better security. I contacted Alive Cor to suggest that they offer an Apple Pay option and meanwhile kept the KardiaBand just waiting for them my reasonable request to accommodate more methods of payment. That was three months ago and I’m still waiting. Customer support did reply back the next day and tell me that my request was forwarded to the developers. Two more versions later and I’m still waiting. Can’t believe it’s that hard to put an Apple Pay button and really can’t believe that Alive Cor doesn’t care about getting more subscriptions.

by Rawink

I am updating my review to 4 Stars after hearing back from this app. It looks like they are doing the best they can with the watch OS and until Apple provides an OS that permits apps such as this app to run in the background we will have to live with it as is. The following is their very reasoned response: Thank you for your feedback and we are looking in to every avenue possible to make this experience better. To be able to gather your heart rate at the required rate, the application is forced to operate as a Workout mode by the platform, and Workout modes are forced to the front of the watch face. There is currently no way around this limitation, but we will happily make the change once the platform allows it. We’ve tried to make this as unobtrusive as possible by adding the time and date to our own screen, but understand that it may not be what you prefer.

ORIGINAL REVIEW: I reported this issue some weeks ago and was assured it would be fixed in an upcoming update but we are still waiting.

Meanwhile we essentially don’t have a watch dial on arm raise or a working sleep app to name just two major issues caused by this application’s frontal focus.

Then there is battery drain. Because Kardia monitors pulse 24/7 the watch requires recharge twice daily.

I appreciate what it does, but it should be smart enough to accomplish its task without expensing every other watch app and placing such a heavy battery drain.

by LeadingImage

this app is a remarkable tool that utilizes the incredible computing power of The IOS operating system. In other words, the device itself is a relatively simple Bluetooth sensor, however the software included provides algorithms that can uncover and warn against unusual heart rhythms.

Upon receiving a questionable finding, the user can quickly email the findings ones physician...or call upon this app reps to interpret finding for you. The price of the service runs 10 to 20 dollars per finding—or you can sign up for PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP that sends you weekly reports by mail.

In my experience, the $10 clinician report is sketchy and hard to understand. For $20, I’d just assume see my own doctor.

For those with diagnosed arythmia concerns, the device can be a lifesaver. While fascinating and helpful, I for one would not count on this app to take the place of a cardiologist.

Still, for under $100, it is a useful tool that will make the user more aware of cardiovascular health and may even prompt the user to go see a cardiologist for the first time. Highly recommended for obese, sedentary, heavy drinking smokers, etc who need to be proactive about their health. this app is a great place to start.

by Bear's Fan

I went for three years after my initial A Fib episode without a reoccurrence. At times I would wonder if Kardia and device really worked. Then right before I was going to be leaving town for two weeks I felt a little different and Kardia told me I was having A Fib. I checked it several times over the next hour and then called my cardiologist and emailed him through Kardia . I then met him at the emergency room and he did a cardio Version and thanks to this device an app I was able to leave town with a clear mind instead of dealing with this in a strange city. To be able to know on my own what is going on with my heart is worth way more than the price of this incredible device and app

by Gunny Knows Best

Kardia, along with the sensor, is a must have for anyone who has experienced a cardiac event. It is extremely accurate, readily accessible, and easy to use. Without this device, if you feel a cardiac event you are left with waiting for a doctors appointment or a visit to the ER to obtain an EKG reading. By the time you get there the event may not even be measurable. With this device, you can take a measurement immediately upon recognizing the event. Kardia allows you to show the results to your doctor via email or by printout or you can, for a small fee, elect to submit your reading electronically to a board certified cardiologist for a quick analysis!

I if you are looking at Kardia, you should probably give it a try!

by Mr Ring Gun

Update: 5/Stars on customer support!

Company got back to me and explained iPhone X model I had was in conflict with APP and equipment and they “offered refund”. I was able to use this app on my wife’s iPhone X model so I Kept it. They said they would let me know when the issue was resolved and I could use Kardia and equipment. They emailed me today (January 30th) and told me new IOS would correct issue. They were right and now I am able to use this app on my iPhone X!!
Kudos to AliveCor Support for keeping “my” issue on the back burner and get back to me when the issue was resolved.

Upgraded support to 5-Stars!!!

Called when they had phone number listed and lady had me do a bunch of steps to try and make it work with my iPhone X. No dice. She said they will look into it and get back with me. You guessed it, no one called after month.

I had to email (few times) and asked for phone call, and all I got a response that basically had me do same things lady had me do. They paid NO ATTENTION to what I had written, only gave me a list of preprogrammed things to do.
I wrote again asking for call/Support, no response.

by Keto Deb

Easy to use device and software. Provides good reporting and can track weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and medications. (Integrates with Apple Health.) Easy to record symptoms via tags and user can create his/her own symptom tags. Battery lasts a long time. Quality of analysis has been validated in independent trials.

I don’t keep mine on the back of my phone because it’s a bit awkward for my hand size. Premium service is essential for history and to maximize value.

I wish the notation function were more robust. Also would like to see some type of summary or recap of AFIB for periods longer than 30 days. Maybe a stacked bar graph with percents by category?