Evaluation of different Portable ECG Devices
From Heart Health Initiative
Comparison of three handheld 1-lead ECG / EKG recorders
by James W Grier
Department of Biological Sciences
North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND 58102-3400
(Note: Last revised: 14 September 2008. Technological and software changes occur rapidly. Some of the information, features of units, and software described in this article may have changed since this date and/or might change without notice.)
Introduction
Electrocardiograph (ECG or EKG) machines/recorders are no longer just the large, bulky equipment that they once all were. Even some of the full 12-lead recorders today are small, portable, and operate through desktop and laptop computers.
Now there are even smaller, self-contained, simple, one lead recorders that are handheld, pocket-sized, battery operated, and have their own built-in displays. These new, low-priced, 1-lead handheld ECG recorders have become available for personal, home, and sports use, much as with home blood-pressure/pulse recorders or glucose testers for diabetics. They also are suitable in some emergency situations but only when used by medical or emergency personnel or for obtaining useful information while waiting for emergency help to arrive. Otherwise, they can be used by the general public for non-emergency personal recording of information, such as for baseline information, routine monitoring, or during uncommon events, like with cardiac event recorders. The recordings can then be shown to the person's cardiologist or electrophysiologist or, for non-emergency or simple monitoring purposes, used by the person himself or herself if he or she is able to interpret them. (ECGs and their different "leads" are complex and have a fairly steep learning curve. For a basic introduction, click here.)
In this review I compare three of the (several) single-lead, handheld ECG recorders currently available. They work suprisingly well and include impressive, accompanying computer software for onscreen analyses and printouts. The three models reviewed here are ReadMyHeart, InstantCheck, and PC-80. I have further compared these recorders in the context of using them to achieve sequential 12-lead and exercise-related ("stress") recordings; for that web site, click here.
Important disclaimer: This information is provided for educational, sports-associated (by healthy persons), research, and non-emergency monitoring use only, not diagnostic or emergency uses by untrained persons. In the event of an emergency or suspected-emergency situation, appropriate medical help and facilities should be sought as quickly as possible. The only time that personal ECG recorders should be even considered in urgent, emergency situations would be if problems were to occur in remote locations to obtain useful information and/or while waiting for transportation and help, that is, when the use of the recorders would not delay possible help and might permit the collection of useful information for later use.
