First time poster. I am an experienced youngish distance runner. Last weekend, I experienced a scary Ventricular Tachycardia event at the end of a long run that landed me in the hospital for 6 days. Long story short: I now have a subcutaneous ICD implanted but my doctors say I can continue to run once recovered! It was my fitness that helped me survive something that was quite lethal and they want me to remain just as healthy as I’ve been.

My question: While I have a device that will help me if I experience dangerous arrhythmia again, I would also like to take extra precaution. I know the apple watch has the afib detector, but I am an Android user and don’t want to purchase a new watch and a new phone. I currently use a Garmin 245 and am happy with it for the most part (although, the HRM was not able to read my V-tach and shows no record of my accelerated heart rate). Does anyone have any insight into the new Garmin ECG app? I know the Samsung Galaxy watch also has an afib detector, but does it perform well for long distance runs like marathons? Appreciate any insight, thanks!

  • my-dog-sleeps@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Hey. Did you get any explanation behind why you went into Ventricular Tachycardia - have you had a diagnosis? Do you have a history of cardiac disease in your family?

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    The reason I ask is, there are some cardiac gene mutations that have a strong association with endurance sports and worse outcomes / fatalities. This is because of the way that endurance sports change the physiology and musculature of the heart; and also a strong possibility of cardiac events during exercise. I’m waiting back for results on a gene mutation myself currently (my mother died of a cardiac arrest 11 years ago and we recently discovered we have a mutation in the family).

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    I was under the impression that exercise is severely limited in such conditions so I’m surprised that you’re cleared to run - I’m only recently learning about heart conditions and running, so I don’t know much. That being said, your best bet would be a heart rate monitor, not a watch. Apical HR doesn’t tend to be super accurate.