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people found this helpful, as of 2023
ranked #4,158 most helpful
out of 571,544,897 reviews
★★★★★
Incredible device
I am a cardiologist, and to me this device is incredible.
As background, a true EKG done in a doctor's office has 12 leads. I had the first AliveCor device from 5-6 years ago -- and it was revolutionary, allowing you to see ONE of the 12 EKG leads. The AppleWatch released last year also gives you ONE of the 12 leads of a normal EKG. For most purposes -- one lead is all you need for determining things like irregular heart rhythms (usually "atrial fibrillation"). But for anything else - you need more leads. So with this new device giving 6 out of 12 leads, this is simply fantastic. Now a doctor can see this and determine not only heart rhythm, but axis, conduction abnormalities, and even ischemic changes (ie. early signs of a heart attack).
Honestly for an average person, I don't know if it is necessary to take an EKG repetitively. But for clinicians, it's incredible to be able to take EKGs with this device. I have used it when I travel abroad and at parties with friends and family. The other day I was able to pick up an asympatomatic EKG abnomality ("WPW") in a friend at dinner. I can also see a scenario in the future, where doctors prescribed this device medically in selected people who had racing heartbeats -- since existing EKG monitors only give one lead, this could conceivably give much more information - if the patient had the device nearby at the time of the event.
Regardless, kudos for AliveCor for advancing healthcare technology.
August 2019 · Sports and Outdoors · verified purchase