A smart devices based secondary prevention program for cerebrovascular disease patients

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Research
• Neurology

Background:

• Commercially available health devices offer new avenues for prolonged patient monitoring.
• This study investigated the feasibility of a smart device-based secondary prevention program for patients with cryptogenic stroke.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of using smart devices for secondary prevention in stroke patients.
• To evaluate patient compliance with remote monitoring of vital signs using wearable technology.

Main Methods:

• A proof-of-principle study involving patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) in the subacute phase.
• Patients used a smartwatch and smart devices for 4 weeks to monitor oxygen saturation, blood pressure, daily steps, heart rate, and heart rate variability.
• Comparison between a smartwatch group (WATCH group) and a standard-of-care control group.

Main Results:

• 161 patients were recruited (87 WATCH, 74 control).
• Over 90% of WATCH group patients recorded ECG daily, with 5,335 ECGs recorded overall.
• The WATCH group showed a trend towards higher detection of atrial fibrillation episodes (10.3% vs. 4%).

Conclusions:

• Smart device implementation shows potential benefits for cerebrovascular disease prevention programs.
• Remote monitoring technologies can support secondary prevention strategies in stroke patients.