Atrial Fibrillation...Should We Worry

[erospolly]

An interesting book covers the subject (it is American though)- The Haywire Heart
https://www.velopress.com/category/the-haywire-heart/

I started with AF about 12 years ago when my heart rate monitor was showing 220 bpm on a gentle ride. Feeling my pulse I noticed it was erratic and a visit to GP confirmed AF - I hadn't even heard of it then. The only real symptom I had was struggling on my bike.

I had a couple of cardioversion that put it in rhythm each time but only for a few weeks. I tried beta blockers that made me weaker, then calcium channel blockers that worked better. Also on Warfarin to stop clotting. As I had a low heart rate anyway I had a pacemaker that keeps my heart rate to a minimum of 50 bpm. After 12 years the pacemaker now needs replacing.

I've cycled, including racing, over long distances all my life. I still cycle in my seventies, but only about 100 miles a week at a slow pace.

Two cardiologists said that my AF was nothing to do with cycling, but I think otherwise.

[ElCani]

Men are considerably more prone to arrhythmia than women — exactly why is unclear — and tall men are the most susceptible of all.

There are numerous risk factors documented by the European Society of Cardiology:
Age
Male gender
Genetic inheritance
Obesity
Blood pressure
Height
Sleep apnoea
Hyperthyroidism
Alcohol
Kidney disease
Endurance training
COPD
Smoking
Coffee
PR Interval
Murmur
Biomarkers of haemodynamic stress
Biomarkers of inflammation
Birth weight
Biomarkers of cardiac damage
Atherosclerosis
Psychological

Ah... b*llocks! I’ve got high blood pressure (genetic), my mum’s got AF, I’m currently being treated for hyperthyroidism (caused by Grave’s disease), I’m male, I’m 6’5” and I cycle 5-6000km a year. And I drink coffee!

I’m only 41...

[yeatesbY]

I'm a club/recreational rider with Atrial Fibrillation. (I have been to hospital for a factory reset, but it didnt work.)
I have been looking for some time for a chest strap + wrist monitor combination which can reliably distinguish between AF and normal elevated heart rate when i'm on the bike.
I would like to be able to set a maximum training rate with an instantaneous audible alarm when the rate is hit.
A current suggestion is a Polar FT with a chest strap. I don't have any real need of other ride info. I have an Apple watch 4 which can do this, but only after 10 mins of inactivity- not ideal!
Any advice or experiences would be most welcome.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
I am not sure how versatile mobile apps are on HR stuff.
I use a satnav (Lezyne XL GPS)
which allows low and high setting of HR and alarm when its exceeded / below.

[Jdsk]

Hi,
I am not sure how versatile mobile apps are on HR stuff.
I use a satnav (Lezyne XL GPS)
which allows low and high setting of HR and alarm when its exceeded / below.

Do you mean reliability on rate only... or ability to detect AF in the same way as Apple Watches?

Jonathan

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

Hi,
I am not sure how versatile mobile apps are on HR stuff.
I use a satnav (Lezyne XL GPS)
which allows low and high setting of HR and alarm when its exceeded / below.

Do you mean reliability on rate only... or ability to detect AF in the same way as Apple Watches?

Jonathan

I meant strictly alarms for a set level of HR, know nowt about AF
I commonly set high rate so I know when I hit it, and low when I should be above........the later I am not trying hard enough

[yeatesbY]

This was really an enquiry to find suggestions for an efficient wrist/ chest strap heart monitor with an audible alarm, that could identify AF separate from normal BPM
I suspect I have exercised for years with an elevated heart rate due to AF but not known about it. After fainting after a ride it was diagnosed.
So i need a device so if my wrist heart monitor suddenly shows 220 on a gentle ride from say 125, and sounds an alarm, I stop until it drops to a 'normal' level.
Any technology suggestions most welcome.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
As I said up post, my satnav connected to my heart rate strap can be set to any figure you like to sound an alarm when that figure is exceeded.
as well as setting a figure which will alarm if it is not met, so you can have two alarms a high and a low alarm working together at Same time.
"yeatesbY" wrote-
"I would like to be able to set a maximum training rate with an instantaneous audible alarm when the rate is hit."
Is this what you are after?
Alert if set And speaker on (not shown off the bottom of the page of pic) will sound audible beep.
The alarm on the page is actually a separate alarm.

Ha ha the speaker is shown

[Jdsk]

Any technology suggestions most welcome.

Have a look at the Apple Watches that include this. There's quite a lot published on their performance, eg:
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1901183

Jonathan

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
No idea if this would help –
https://www.igeeksblog.com/best-apple-w ... itor-apps/

[yeatesbY]

Thanks for all your suggestions.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
I have tried and failed to get a apple app to recognise my heart rate strap, anyone use one with an app?
I get my phone to recognize the strap but that's as far as I can get, I would like to use a BT strap with iphone without carrying my sat nav.

[Jdsk]

What make and model is the strap?

What app have you have tried?

Jonathan

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

What make and model is the strap?

What app have you have tried?

Jonathan

Originally I used the Lezyne which came with the sat nav bundled which is the only one they make.
I have used HR straps for many years but the early no BT ones, some are good some were pretty useless, unriliable.

I replaced the busted lezyne (battery closure plug) with a "Sunding" https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SunDING-Spor ... SwISBfWEo- which is chinese I reckon, it works but they are cheap as little as £7, replacement lezyne is £ 40 + , £34 on wiggle at the mo. Might just buy one, the plastic is rather brittle I think, cheaper ones in the past lasted several years.

So my question was who is using a BT heart rate strap with an app?

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Well I finally got my heart rate strap to work with my mobile.
The trick here is I've learnt is not to let your mobile register with the heart rate strap, unless you're using the Health app that comes with the phone iPhone.
If it does get hold of your HRM, then disconnect it in the settings then go straight to the app you are going to use.

Bluetooth devices sometimes they will share other devices simultaneously, sometimes they will not, once they are paired even dynamite won't part them