Frequently Asked Questions
What is CardioSignal?
How does CardioSignal detect atrial fibrillation?
How do I make sure the measurement is taken correctly?
Things to take into consideration before a measurement:
- Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, and it may occur occasionally or in a sustained manner. In order to detect possible atrial fibrillation with the CardioSignal application according to the intended use, a measurement must be taken twice in a 24-hour period, e.g., once in the morning and once in the evening.
- Do not exercise before taking a measurement.
- Your heart rate range must be 30–160 beats per minute. Otherwise, the application displays a failed result for that measurement.
- If you have a pacemaker, do not use the application.
Taking a measurement:
- Remove any thick clothing, such as a jacket.
- Lay on your back and relax.
- Press Start.
- Place the phone in the middle of your chest with the screen facing upward.
- Keep your hands in a relaxed position at your sides.
- There is a 10-second countdown before the 60-second measurement begins.
- Do not talk, cough, or move during the measurement.
- After the measurement ends, the application plays a sound and vibrates lightly.
- Following these signals, you can remove the smartphone from your chest.
- When the analysis is complete, the application displays the results.
How often should I check for atrial fibrillation?
The application detects atrial fibrillation. What should I do?
Make sure you have taken the measurement correctly. If your resting heart rate is low (under 50 bpm), the irregular chest movement caused by breathing may interfere with the measurement. In this case, you can try holding your breath for 10 to 20 seconds during the measurement.
Is the application useful to me if I have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation?
If you suffer from permanent atrial fibrillation, the CardioSignal application does not offer additional information on your condition. In this case, it has already been established that you suffer from atrial fibrillation.
The application detects atrial fibrillation. I’m sure that I don’t have it. What is going on?
Adults: For adults, a low resting heart rate (50 bpm or lower) and the irregular chest movement caused by breathing may interfere with the results. You can try holding your breath for 10 to 20 seconds during the measurement process to see if positive atrial fibrillation readings persist.
Problem with sensors: Some Android devices may use sensors that produce extremely poor-quality data which cannot be used to detect atrial fibrillation reliably. We aim to update the list of such devices in the Google Play store and this FAQ section.
Why does my Huawei P-Smart phone keep detecting atrial fibrillation?
How can I make sure CardioSignal will work with my phone?
You can install the CardioSignal application for free at the Apple AppStore and Google Play store. You can try the measurement feature 20 times at no cost. You can view the minimum requirements for the phone in the download section.
What are gyroscopes and accelerometers and why are they needed?
The sensitive motion sensors of the phone are able to detect the small vibrations in the chest area caused by the pumping motion of the heart, and CardioSignal is able to interpret these vibrations to determine how the heart is functioning. The application needs the data collected by both sensors to function in a reliable way.
Is CardioSignal free?
Can I try the CardioSignal application for free?
How much does the CardioSignal application cost?
The subscription gets renewed automatically depending on the subscription period selected. For example, a one-month subscription renews every month, and is billed before the beginning of each new subscription period. A 1-month subscription costs 7.99€, a 3-month subscription costs 14.99€, and a 1-year subscription costs 49.99€.
The prices were last updated on 30 January 2020, and existing subscriptions are automatically updated according to the protocols of the Apple and Google payment systems.
How can I pay CardioSignal application subscription?
You can pay the measurement function of the CardioSignal application in GooglePlay or AppStore application stores. The order is always managed through the application store.
Payment options in application stores are:
- A credit or debit card, in which case the card information is linked to the application store account information
- Redeem a GooglePlay or AppStore gift card, gift code, or promotional code
- Paypal account
- Carrier billing is possible in some countries.
How can I cancel my subscription?
iPhone: You can terminate your subscription or change it in the Settings menu. Open Settings -> iTunes and App Store -> click on Apple ID -> View Apple ID -> Subscriptions -> CardioSignal -> Cancel subscription.
Android: You can terminate your subscription or change it in the Google Play application. Open Google Play -> Open menu (found in the upper left corner) -> Choose subscriptions -> CardioSignal -> Cancel subscription.
How can I restore my subscription after re-installing the CardioSignal application?
iPhone: Make sure you are using the same Apple ID as when you last used the application. Log into the CardioSignal application using your CardioSignal username. Choose ‘Subscription’ and ‘Restore subscription’. The subscription is restored, and you can continue taking measurements.
Android: Make sure you are using the same Google account as before. Log into the CardioSignal application using your CardioSignal username. The subscription is restored automatically, and you can continue taking measurements.
What is an activation code or activation link?
What kind of personal data does CardioSignal save onto the phone?
What happens to my data if I delete my CardioSignal account?
How secure are the CardioSignal application and the Precordior cloud service?
With passwords, we are using the PBKDF2 algorithm with SHA256 hash encryption and the “stretching mechanism” of the password, as recommended by NIST. The databases of the Precordior cloud service use an encryption algorithm that is in compliance with standard AES-256 to encrypt both the active database and the daily back-ups.
There are other similar products available. Why should I use the CardioSignal application?
It is true that there are also other products for detecting atrial fibrillation available, based on different kinds of technology, but the accuracy and reliability of the measurements are clearly inferior, and they can take up to 50% longer to take a measurement than the CardioSignal application.
Why should I use the CardioSignal application when the Apple Watch can perform the same function?
To start using CardioSignal, all you need to do is install the free application in the Apple AppStore or Google Play store. You can try the measurement feature 20 times at no cost before deciding whether you want to subscribe.
I changed phones. Can I use the same CardioSignal username in my new phone?
If you have purchased a one-month, three-month, or one-year subscription with your old phone, e.g., an iPhone, the subscription will not work in an Android phone, and it won’t work if you switch from an Android phone to an iPhone, either. In this case, you will need to cancel your old subscription and purchase a new subscription using the new phone. Please note that if you do not cancel your old subscription, it will renew automatically. See the question How can I cancel my subscription?