The DuoEK S is a self-contained portable EKG monitor that features a single lead electrode electrocardiogram and an OLED screen in a tiny and very portable format. No need for a smartphone anymore to check for potential arrhythmia. The DuoEK S fits easily in a bag or in a pocket and is undoubtedly on a path to changing how portable EKG devices are now becoming mainstream devices. A device to consider if you suspect that you may be suffering from arrhythmia or just want to feel reassured about your heart health.
DuoEK by CheckMe
Price when reviewed: $89.00
Until recently, electrocardiograms were synonymous with wires, sticky electrodes, and a hospital setting. However, things have changed, and it is now possible to have your heart rhythm checked from the comfort of your home or while traveling.
The DuoEK S is the latest device from the Chinese medical device giant CheckMe, which gained popularity for its blood pressure monitoring devices and AI-based 24-hour holter.
You can check our reviews of their 24-hour ECG holter and innovative BP2 blood pressure monitor. Good to know is that the BP2 device includes a single-lead ECG device, making it truly unique.
You may wonder about the DuoEK maker. CheckMe is owned by Lepu Medical, a company listed on the Beijing stock market with a market capitalization of above 5 billion dollars. We are far from a startup when discussing CheckMe and Lepu medical. Lepu medical devices are sold in more than 80 countries.
What makes the DuoEK unique is not only the reliability of the measurements and analyses but also its design. The DuoEK won the 2022 IF Design Award, an international prize that rewards innovative designs. The fact that a medical-grade device won such an award proves that healthcare companies are now considering their users as real human beings with taste and not just as patients who do not care about design and are just interested in the readings. We genuinely like this approach and hope that CheckMe approach will lead the way to more stylish devices.
Why Would You Need a Personal ECG Monitor?
The primary purpose of an ECG monitor is to check the heart’s electrical activity and detect irregular heartbeats. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Atrial fibrillation (AFib) was responsible for more than 180,000 deaths in 2019, and 12 million Americans will suffer from AFib by 2030.
During an Atrial fibrillation episode, the two atria of the heart will beat very fast and will not be synchronized. This could lead to blood clots and an increase in the risk of suffering from a stroke. The NHS estimated that atrial fibrillation could increase the risk of stroke up to 5 times.
An electrocardiogram is the main test to diagnose atrial fibrillation. By analyzing electrical signals, it will become possible to detect irregular heartbeats. One of the main issues in detecting AFib is that an irregular heartbeat pattern will not always occur. Home Ecg monitors are a convenient way to check for a possible heart condition when feeling your heart racing.
It is, of course, critical not to rely only on a portable ECG device. Still, the DuoEK can provide valuable information that may help your doctor pose an initial heart health diagnosis or check on the efficacy of a medication.
The purpose of the DuoEK is to differentiate between normal sinus rhythm and irregular patterns. Like all the portable EKG monitoring devices, including EKG smartwatches, the DuoEK will not detect a heart attack but will rely on its built-in sensors to potentially help alert the users of certain heart conditions that will need to be diagnosed by your doctor or cardiologist.
How Does the DuoEK Work?
With a weight of less than 1 oz (26.8g) and a size allowing it to fit in a pocket, 3.6* 3.22* 0.12 inch (92*82*3.2mm), the DuoEK includes an OLED display, a single lead ECG monitor and a USB C rechargeable battery. The battery life is given for 500 analyses and can be charged in less than a couple of hours, meaning that a full battery will come a long way. During our tests, we noticed that the battery was still nearly full even after two months without using the device.
It only takes 30 seconds for the heart’s electrical signals to be recorded and a few more seconds for the analysis results to be displayed on the built-in screen.
Using the DuoEK could not be easier; the device comes with a removable cap that will protect the electrodes and make it truly portable. I had it in my work bag for months and could not notice any scratches. The built quality is excellent and has nothing to envy of the AliveCor device, which remains one of the references in the portable EKG monitor market.
One of the main differentiation factors of the DuoEK is that even if it comes with the possibility to synchronize and store the analyses on its companion app, the device can also be used without the need for a smartphone.
Just position your index on the built-in electrodes, wait at least 30 seconds for the single-lead electrocardiogram to be recorded, and the analysis results will be displayed on the built-in OLED screen. During our tests, we noticed that staying key during data acquisition was critical to avoiding background noises and improving the reliability of the analyses.
Holding the electrodes with both hands is enough to start an EKG acquisition and analysis cycle. The DuoEK is a single lead EKG monitor, meaning users must properly hold the electrodes for the signal to be recorded as it should. An “R” corresponding to the right hand is printed on top of the device, which will ease the hand positioning.
One key point is that the DuoEK is only a first step in assessing potential heart diseases. The built-in software will only differentiate if the heartbeat is regular or irregular. The underlying condition of an irregular heartbeat, premature beat, atrial fibrillation, heart pause, or even excessive noise while recording will not be detected. The DuoEK can be considered an easy-to-use portable EKG monitor that will let you know if your heart rate and pattern are normal or if more detailed analyses at the doctor’s office are justified.
The ViHealth companion app will help store and share the data with your doctor.
Use the ViHealth Companion app to store and share your heart health data
The ViHealth smartphone app is available for Android and iOs and is the control center for all the products developed by Lepu Medical. The products will all pair via Bluetooth with smartphones and act as a storage and sharing center.
The installation of the DuoEK is simple, as this personal ECG monitor will be automatically recognized and paired.
The app is divided into three sections: History, Dashboard, and Settings.
Tapping on History will open all of the sessions recorded. From here, you will get the average heart rate and the diagnosis related to the ECG tracing; Regular or Irregular heartbeat. It is also possible to magnify the EKG by modifying the scale and even to share it as a pdf with your doctor in case an unusual pattern is detected.
The Dashboard is handy when conducting an EKG analysis, as the real-time heartbeat displays and the electrical pattern will also appear on the smartphone screen. In addition, it is possible to toggle on or off the heartbeat sound feedback or even update the device through the settings.
Our conclusions about the CheckMe DuoEK ECG Monitor
Personal ECG monitors are increasingly popular and help get a complete picture of your heart health without needing a more thorough examination at the doctor’s office.
Even though the DuoEK is not FDA approved, it relies on high-tech technologies to record and analyze the heart’s electrical activity and potentially help detect heart conditions in case an unusual reading is recorded. For example, arrhythmia can be a severe condition, and the DuoEK or any other personal ECG monitors can positively impact global health.
We appreciated the built-in OLED display, the built-in quality, and the compactness of the DuoEK, which for less than $100 is a device to consider. A Single-Lead portable EKG monitor will never replace standard 12-leads electrocardiograms recorded with medical-grade devices. These devices should not be used to self-diagnose or change a treatment plan. With obesity and diabetes rising, checking your heart activity pattern can provide valuable information.