Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death worldwide; the WHO estimated that the mortality of CVDs is around 17.9 million yearly.
Pharmaceutical companies and research institutes are putting all efforts into addressing the unmet needs of patients, such as accurate and real-time data and remote monitoring, among others.
Digital health applications and tools aspire to bridge the gap between patients and HCPs.
This article discusses mobile applications, wearables, and pharma initiatives aimed at helping HCPs, patients, and their caregivers manage the cardiovascular disease better.
Mobile health applications in cardiovascular care
Advancements in mobile technology and digital tools help physicians take care of their cardiovascular patients by providing highly accurate real-time data. Keep reading for an overview of cardiovascular disease management mobile applications created by companies or non-profits.
3 popular mobile apps to manage your cardiovascular disease
Instant Heart Rate: This application records heart rate using a phone camera. It turns the phone camera into a heart rate sensor and provides readings in 10 seconds. It also takes notes to record when the test is being administered.
iCardio Application: This application monitors your exercise by distance, route, speed, and time. It is linked to a fit band and a mobile application which shows your heart’s activity through color coding while tracking speed and distance
Smart Blood Pressure: This software is compatible with Apple HeathKit and Microsoft HealthVault, syncing data from blood pressure monitoring devices. It tracks a person’s weight and blood pressure to determine BMI or pulse rate metrics and shares this information with the patient’s doctor enabling them to assess their heart health.
Non-profits launch cardiovascular management disease apps to improve patient care.
The American College of Cardiology and the European Society of Cardiology have also launched mobile applications that provide, among others, risk estimation, treatment guidelines, disease information, disease assessment, and educational resources.
Wearables for cardiovascular disease management
Electronic gadgets consumers wear, such as Fitbits and smartwatches, are mainstream healthcare wearable technology examples whose popularity and adoption continue to grow.
Wearable fitness bands like Fitbit Charge4, Amazefit Bip, Garmin vivosmart 4 are digital devices that sync with mobile phones and are equipped with sensors to keep track of the user’s heart rate and physical activity.
Smartwatches like Fitbit Versa3, Samsung Galaxy Watch3, Apple Watch Series6 that track steps and time are valuable clinical tools for healthcare.
Wearable ECG monitor apps like AliveCor’s KardiaMobile 6L and VivaLNK are the latest trend in wearable consumer electronics, allowing users to monitor their heart rate, rhythm, and other vitals, including blood pressure and enabling remote patient monitoring.
In the market, wearable blood pressure monitors and wearable biosensors are also available to monitor patients’ blood pressure and cardiovascular system.
Pharmaceutical companies go digital.
Many pharmaceutical companies collaborate with technology-based companies to develop digital healthcare solutions to support their existing patient treatment offering.
Novartis China collaborated with Tencent and created AI Nurse, a cardiovascular health solution platform. Later, it enhanced the initial product by “embedding AI Nurse in WeChat, Tencent’s social media platform”. The updated version warns about disease deterioration, helping patients avoid rehospitalizations and manage their disease better.
AstraZeneca collaborated with Eko to develop new solutions for earlier heart failure detection. This collaboration explores “accelerating the development of Eko algorithms, enhancing clinical trials” to develop new screening tools.
Bayer collaborated with One Drop digital solution to roll out an AI program to prevent heart disease. The program coaches users to adopt healthy habits, stay active and lower their blood pressure. Patients can also schedule one-on-one appointments with registered nurses using the telehealth program.
Will heart apps become mainstream? Prospects and challenges.
Before implementing and adopting any digital healthcare products, we need to do extensive testing to prove that they are safe, effective, and user-friendly.
Digital products such as wearables, smartwatches, and other “smart” tools (e.g., blood pressure monitors and glucose sensors) are available in the broad consumer market. But it is only evidence-based data, especially derived from large-scale research, that can prove that these new solutions enhance patient outcomes.
Besides this, incorporating digital solutions into clinical care means we have successfully met the needs of healthcare professionals and patients by delivering user-centric products.
Οnce patients and healthcare professionals are willing to use digital health apps, utilization incentives such as reimbursement schemes and data protection regulations ensuring data privacy and security will facilitate their adoption.
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Sources:
https://world-heart-federation.org/news/charting-cardiovascular-care-in-a-digital-world/
https://www.businessinsider.com/5-examples-wearable-healthcare-devices-2021-5?IR=T
https://www.healthline.com/health/heart-disease/top-iphone-android-apps#cardiio
https://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health/heart-health-apps-download-now/
https://cardiacrhythmnews.com/eko-and-astrazeneca-announce-digital-cardiovascular-care-partnership/
https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/504797