Digital Health: Implications for Heart Failure Management.

Area of Science:

• Digital health
• Health informatics
• Cardiology

Background:

• Digital health utilizes information and communications technology and advanced computing in healthcare.
• The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital health technologies.
• Digital health applications are increasingly explored for managing chronic conditions like heart failure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the application of digital health in heart failure patient care.
• To focus on teleconsultation, remote monitoring, and apps/wearables for supporting care and improving outcomes.
• To assess the current evidence and future potential of these technologies.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of digital health applications in heart failure.
• Analysis of studies on teleconsultation, remote monitoring (including pulmonary artery pressure), and wearables/apps.
• Evaluation of technology impact on patient outcomes, hospitalisation rates, and self-care.

Main Results:

• Teleconsultation use surged during the pandemic.
• Remote monitoring shows mixed results for preventing hospitalisation, but pulmonary artery pressure monitoring is effective for specific patient groups.
• Wearables show potential for atrial fibrillation detection and self-care support, though more evidence is needed.

Conclusions:

• Digital health technologies offer potential benefits for heart failure management.
• Further research is required to optimize the use of wearables and apps.
• Ensuring data validity, privacy, and adequate support for users is crucial for successful implementation.