Would You Prescribe Mobile Health Apps for Heart Failure Self-care? An Integrated Review of Commercially Available Mobile Technology for Heart Failure Patients

Treatment of chronic diseases, such as heart failure, requires complex protocols based on early diagnosis; self-monitoring of symptoms, vital signs and physical activity; regular medication intake; and education of patients and caregivers about relevant aspects of the disease. Smartphones and mobile...

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Main Authors: Andrea Mortara, Lucia Vaira, Vittorio Palmieri, Massimo Iacoviello, Ilaria Battistoni, Attilio Iacovoni, Francesca Macera, Daniele Pasqualucci, Mario Bochicchio, Renata De Maria
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Radcliffe Medical Media 2020-05-01
Series:Cardiac Failure Review
Online Access:https://www.cfrjournal.com/articleindex/cfr.2019.11
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author Andrea Mortara
Lucia Vaira
Vittorio Palmieri
Massimo Iacoviello
Ilaria Battistoni
Attilio Iacovoni
Francesca Macera
Daniele Pasqualucci
Mario Bochicchio
Renata De Maria
author_facet Andrea Mortara
Lucia Vaira
Vittorio Palmieri
Massimo Iacoviello
Ilaria Battistoni
Attilio Iacovoni
Francesca Macera
Daniele Pasqualucci
Mario Bochicchio
Renata De Maria
author_sort Andrea Mortara
collection DOAJ
description Treatment of chronic diseases, such as heart failure, requires complex protocols based on early diagnosis; self-monitoring of symptoms, vital signs and physical activity; regular medication intake; and education of patients and caregivers about relevant aspects of the disease. Smartphones and mobile health applications could be very helpful in improving the efficacy of such protocols, but several barriers make it difficult to fully exploit their technological potential and produce clear clinical evidence of their effectiveness. App suppliers do not help users distinguish between useless/dangerous apps and valid solutions. The latter are few and often characterised by rapid obsolescence, lack of interactivity and lack of authoritative information. Systematic reviews can help physicians and researchers find and assess the ‘best candidate solutions’ in a repeatable manner and pave the way for well-grounded and fruitful discussion on their clinical effectiveness. To this purpose, the authors assess 10 apps for heart failure self-care using the Intercontinental Marketing Statistics score and other criteria, discuss the clinical effectiveness of existing solutions and identify barriers to their use in practice and drivers for change.
format Article
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issn 2057-7540
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publishDate 2020-05-01
publisher Radcliffe Medical Media
record_format Article
series Cardiac Failure Review
spelling doaj-art-5ef33a6110dc46af8416a68f551ca0bd2025-08-20T02:39:22ZengRadcliffe Medical MediaCardiac Failure Review2057-75402057-75592020-05-01610.15420/cfr.2019.11Would You Prescribe Mobile Health Apps for Heart Failure Self-care? An Integrated Review of Commercially Available Mobile Technology for Heart Failure PatientsAndrea Mortara0Lucia Vaira1Vittorio Palmieri2Massimo Iacoviello3Ilaria Battistoni4Attilio Iacovoni5Francesca Macera6Daniele Pasqualucci7Mario Bochicchio8Renata De Maria9Department of Cardiology, Monza Polyclinic, Monza, ItalyDepartment of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Lecce, ItalyDepartment of Cardiac Surgery and Transplantation, AORN dei Colli Monaldi-Cotugno–CTO, Naples, ItalyCardiology Unit, Cardiothoracic Department, University Hospital Policlinico, Bari, ItalySOD Cardiology–Haemodynamics–UTIC, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University Hospital Azienda, United Hospitals of Ancona, Ancona, ItalyCardiovascular Department, ASST Pope John XXIII Hospital, Bergamo, ItalyCardiology, Heart Failure and Transplantation, ASST Great Metropolitan Hospital Niguarda, Milan, ItalySC Cardiology, AOG Brotzu–San Michele, Cagliari, ItalyDepartment of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Lecce, ItalyNational Research Council, Institute of Clinical Physiology, ASST Great Metropolitan Hospital Niguarda, Milan, ItalyTreatment of chronic diseases, such as heart failure, requires complex protocols based on early diagnosis; self-monitoring of symptoms, vital signs and physical activity; regular medication intake; and education of patients and caregivers about relevant aspects of the disease. Smartphones and mobile health applications could be very helpful in improving the efficacy of such protocols, but several barriers make it difficult to fully exploit their technological potential and produce clear clinical evidence of their effectiveness. App suppliers do not help users distinguish between useless/dangerous apps and valid solutions. The latter are few and often characterised by rapid obsolescence, lack of interactivity and lack of authoritative information. Systematic reviews can help physicians and researchers find and assess the ‘best candidate solutions’ in a repeatable manner and pave the way for well-grounded and fruitful discussion on their clinical effectiveness. To this purpose, the authors assess 10 apps for heart failure self-care using the Intercontinental Marketing Statistics score and other criteria, discuss the clinical effectiveness of existing solutions and identify barriers to their use in practice and drivers for change.https://www.cfrjournal.com/articleindex/cfr.2019.11
spellingShingle Andrea Mortara
Lucia Vaira
Vittorio Palmieri
Massimo Iacoviello
Ilaria Battistoni
Attilio Iacovoni
Francesca Macera
Daniele Pasqualucci
Mario Bochicchio
Renata De Maria
Would You Prescribe Mobile Health Apps for Heart Failure Self-care? An Integrated Review of Commercially Available Mobile Technology for Heart Failure Patients
Cardiac Failure Review
title Would You Prescribe Mobile Health Apps for Heart Failure Self-care? An Integrated Review of Commercially Available Mobile Technology for Heart Failure Patients
title_full Would You Prescribe Mobile Health Apps for Heart Failure Self-care? An Integrated Review of Commercially Available Mobile Technology for Heart Failure Patients
title_fullStr Would You Prescribe Mobile Health Apps for Heart Failure Self-care? An Integrated Review of Commercially Available Mobile Technology for Heart Failure Patients
title_full_unstemmed Would You Prescribe Mobile Health Apps for Heart Failure Self-care? An Integrated Review of Commercially Available Mobile Technology for Heart Failure Patients
title_short Would You Prescribe Mobile Health Apps for Heart Failure Self-care? An Integrated Review of Commercially Available Mobile Technology for Heart Failure Patients
title_sort would you prescribe mobile health apps for heart failure self care an integrated review of commercially available mobile technology for heart failure patients
url https://www.cfrjournal.com/articleindex/cfr.2019.11
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