Mobile health in preventive cardiology: current status and future perspective

Abstract

Purpose of reviewDespite cutting edge acute interventions and growing preventive strategies supported by robust clinical trials, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has stubbornly persisted as a leading cause of death in the United States and globally. The American Heart Association recognizes mobile health technologies (mHealth) as an emerging strategy in the mitigation of CVD risk factors, with significant potential for improving population health. The purpose of this review is to highlight and summarize the latest available literature on mHealth applications and provide perspective on future directions and barriers to implementation. Recent findingsWhile available randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews tend to support efficacy of mHealth, published literature includes heterogenous approaches to similar problems with inconsistent results. Some of the strongest recent evidence has been focused on the use of wearables in arrhythmia detection. Systematic reviews of mHealth approaches demonstrate benefit when applied to risk factor modification in diabetes, cigarette smoking cessation, and physical activity/weight loss, while also showing promise in multi risk factor modification via cardiac rehabilitation.

Life’s Essential 8: Updating and Enhancing the American Heart Association’s Construct of Cardiovascular Health: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association

“…However, contextual factors (SDOH, access to health care and health technology, health literacy, and psychological health) mediate individuals' access to health technology and information and can affect their ability to maintain or achieve optimal CVH. 145 The AHA and other stakeholders will need to be mindful of these issues in the design of data collection and intervention tools.…”

“…These same health technology platforms can serve to aggregate CVH data for population health monitoring and risk prediction or for intervening in CVH by motivating behavior change among diverse populations. 145…”

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