Vion ECG Pen Portable ECG Monitor

I thought this would be another fake import that worked bad. I was wrong!The company is MD Biomedical Inc and they have a stock market valuation of many millions and make numerous medical devices. They have been in business for many years.Regarding the device, it comes from their Germany branch and is CE approved!It is tiny and has a an LCD display so you can get your results without needing your phone or computer.The app does what it says and you can send a pdf of your scan to your doctor or just save it.There is also a full computer software package that looks like a GP style system.The FCC submitted manual (available on the web) actually shows 3 ways of measurement - so it can perform 3 leeds ecg monitor!I am glad I bought this instead of the other devices - that do not have a screen, needs a carrying case, and needs your phone and Bluetooth to do a scan.It is a medical sensitive device - so sensitive that if you were to touch your right to your left during measurement it will cause an invalid result. That is good - I want very accurate results.If you have any doubts, do right + left index finger, then do left index + chest, then right index + chest. Ankle + finger etc..

Choose this model (880E) because it was seemed to offer the most flexibility for getting the ECG data out. After looking at the appalling app reviews of some other makes I didn't want to risk getting a device that was useless because the app was broken. So with the Vion you get an LCD screen with a simple reading summary e.g ok, slow, fast, irregular, abnormal, paused, a mobile phone app via Bluetooth that can show the ecg waveform, and also the ability to download to a PC.. The device itself is dead easy to use. Hold it against your chest and press the button and it counts down for 30 secs. You get the instant summary feedback (hopefully OK) The phone app is much less intuitive, no real instructions on installing it or using it, or even what it is called (it's called iBPMonitor). However once you find it and figure out how to use it, it's seems to work well, connects over Bluetooth painlessly and you can see the ECG waveform in detail by pressing the heart icon (not heart rate trend button as you might expect). I am using the android version, but also tried it on an iPhone. You can also email the waveform as a PDF from the app. The PC software is less impressive. It works but doesn't offer anything more than the phone app. In fact there is no export or email feature at all. You can't compare waveforms, can only zoom vertically - bit poor really. You'll also need a PC with a CD drive - you can't download the software. If you go for the next model down or the next model up which both have blood pressure cuffs, the phone app will also store and trend the BP measurements along the ECGs which makes it a more attractive solution. The PC software supports BP measurements as well but isn't supported on the cheaper model. My recondmendation....forego the PC software and get the cheapest Vion, you'll additionally get BP measurements and will currently save £15 over this model which doesn't support BP.

Not too sure about this product yet only had it for a few days and the batteries has already run out.

This is an excellent piece of equipment which is very well made and very easy to use. Unlike the flimsy finger sensitive device, this is much more robust and can survive in a pocket or handbag quite easily. Links to a phone or tablet via Bluetooth and can be hard wired to a USB port. A very impressive piece of kit.

Well, this worked, until it didn't. Within a couple of weeks I had to change the batteries, and within a couple of months, I found it hard to switch on, kept thinking the batteries were done, and soldiered on. Now, about 8 months on, I cannot switch it on no matter what. The screen flashes to say it's on (and the batteries are full) but as soon as I lift my finger off the button, which you have to do to operate it, it switches off again. The other problem is contacting the seller to arrange a repair or replacement: you can't. Amazon has been fab about it and I'm now buying another make. Deeply disappointing; spend your money elsewhere.

Fab

Very comforting to have this in the medical cabinet. Very small fits in the top of a shirt pocket. It comes with a cd which you put in your laptop and all the data is transferred to there. Then you can print off your readings at your leisure. Impressed.

This is a neat little device – very compact and easy to use (about 9x4cm). It connects well with the app to show record of previous and current readings. The only problem I have with it is that the display screen is a little difficult to read, even with my glasses on. The text on it is very small, and is black against a grey background.