Portable EKG devices are a powerful tool for efficient screening of heart rhythm and assess the overall picture of your heart health. As per recent studies*, Kardia Mobile is a smartphone-based ECG device that may provide timely mobile cardiac monitoring of different heart health parameters (QRS axis, QRS-T angle and QTc) with high signal fidelity. Though, further studies are warranted.

• After your account setup is complete, when you want to record your first EKG, you will go through an introductory setup flow and take an unlock EKG.
• Open the Kardia Mobile app on your phone, and tap "Record your EKG", then choose KardiaMobile as your recording device. Move through the flow until prompted to record.
• When ready, place two or more fingers (it doesn’t matter which ones) from each hand on the electrodes for 30 seconds to start the timer. Hold still until the countdown completes and the recording is done.
• As the electrical signals move through the heart, the ECG monitor records the strength and the timing of these signals in a graph (called a P wave).

There are no known contraindications for the Kardia Mobile product, although care should be taken when considering using the device according to the warnings and precautions below:

• DO NOT store in extremely hot, cold, humid, wet, or bright conditions.
• DO NOT take recordings in close vicinity to other equipment emitting ultrasonic acoustics.
• DO NOT take a recording while driving or during physical activity.
• DO NOT use Kardia Mobile while charging your phone.
• DO keep components out of reach of children.
• DO use this device to record heart rate and heart rhythm only.
• DO NOT use the sensor on a portion of the body with too much body fat, body hair or very dry skin, a successful recording may not be possible.

• DO NOT use it with cardiac pacemakers, ICDs, or other implanted electronic devices.
• DO NOT drop or bump with excessive force.
• DO NOT continue use until further instructed by a physician if your skin is irritated or inflamed around the sensor or molding.
• DO NOT use it to diagnose heart-related conditions.
• DO NOT expose the device to a magnetic resonance (MR) environment.
• DO NOT wear during cautery and external defibrillation procedures. After ECG analysis, the app may incorrectly identify ventricular flutter, ventricular bigeminy, and ventricular trigeminy heart conditions as unreadable. Please consult with your physician.

Your doctor is the best guide here. Though the results of 6-lead Kardia Mobile in particular are able to provide an in-depth picture of rate and rhythm of your heart, your doctor might advise the standard 12-lead in-clinic ECG depending on your heart condition and health status.