Using HRM with defibrillator

I would like to buy a heart rate monitor, not for exercise purposes, but to determine when my heart rate is speeding up to an unacceptable level. Is there a suitable model that will work without interfering with my defibrillator and that I can program to signal an alarm when my heart rate reaches a certain range?
would appreciate any feedback on this topic

Kerryman

4 Comments

probably not

by Tracey_E - 2011-07-16 08:07:14

The hrm will not interfere with your icd, but the icd will likely interfere with your hrm. A few members have had luck but I've never been able to get one to work. Either they show a 0 reading or they pick up the paced beats so the number it shows is way to high. I can see wanting one while working out, but is it practical to wear one all the time? Seems to me it would be more trouble than its worth. If your rate gets high enough that the icd will fire, you will know with or without a hrm to let you know.

HRM

by Bill T - 2011-07-16 10:07:03

I tried a couple with poor results and settled for a finger pulse/oximeter, like the ones used in hospitals. A Google search will give you a wide range of units withing a $40 - $100 price range. I think I got mine from Wal-Mart on line for around $50. No worries with interference to PMs.
Bill T

Works Great

by cmgdavid - 2011-07-18 11:07:01

I have a POLAR T31 HRM, I think it cost about $100.t works great and I've even compared its readout to the readout on the Hospitals HRM - in perfect sync.

?

by Anita - 2011-08-20 11:08:34

My son was 13 when he got his ICD. He wore a pulse thing out. He had it with him all the time. The night that he went in to vf it read his heart rate was in the 130s. He was shocked 8 times in 19 mins. When they did a down load at hospital his heart rate was 313 bpm. They told us that it will not give a accurate heartrate when your heart gets out of rhythm. So I don't know if they really help bcuz he thought he was okay that evening and had been keepn a check on his heart rate and it was under 100... and when he was gettn shocked he kept checkn his heartrate and it was in the 130's ... then we found out it was over 300. Hope all goes well for you!

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