There are electrocardiogram machines which can be obtained from China relatively cheaply. We have some links to some reviews of the different types.
In my case I emphasize the type of measurement known as a Lewis lead which is different than the ones that are associated with the 12 leads that the doctors commonly use. It's a different positioning that attempts to look at the atrium which is the entrance to the heart and it's a very weak muscle and so it's harder to see.
It involves two electrodes on one side of the chest and then two electrode down the leg but what this does do is it gives you a good look at the atrium and frequently the probably one of the most frequently problems that need to be checked is atrial flutter of fibrillation where the atrium is moving too fast because the atrium is the pacemaker for the rest of the heart it causes the other risk of the heart to go too fast.
It can also cause a poor circulation in that atrium and blood clots can form you can have a stroke so detecting it with a clear signal is particularly good with the Lewis lead and it can be done with a primitive one channel piece of equipment that's about two hundred dollars and so an effective screening is quite possible with relatively low skilled operator and cheap equipment for the ailment that is most common.
Of course it doesn't necessarily going to detect all kinds of sophisticated heart problems which would be detected by a true professional with the 12-lead that takes a whole lifetime to be good at reading but you know we take what we can get.
So I think it's exciting area and so we have an area on the website that describes in more detail and makes references where you might be able to pursue this there are a few other heart attack symptoms that can be seen like the st elevation so there's a few things a person who look for but again I would just be looking for a too fast atrium as something that's safe for the amateur
There is the the live core cell phone-based EKG which has some pros and cons. You basically have to hold it with your hands on one side on each side in order to get a good signal. so you have to be conscious and you can't really apply it to someone else who on their chest or anything who is non cooperative so it's mostly to test yourself.
It has some nice features of being able to email the signal and I don't think it's as accurate for detecting atrial flutter as the Lewis leads with a proper one lead machine.
It is very portable and I have tested it there was a problem with the battery definitely where the leads the battery had to be bent strongly in order for a good contact to be had and there were a lot of complaints and confusion in the forum and the company did not seem to understand that there was a battery holder problem.
So I don't know a mixed bag there I'm not really I'd like to use the real one with the leads myself.