Real-world long-term effects on blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors for patients in digital therapeutics

Willis M, Darwiche G, Carlsson M, Nilsson A, Wohlin J, Lindgren P

Hypertension is the leading preventable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and premature death worldwide. Patient adherence to life-style recommendations and drug treatment in combination with regular BP measurements and systematic follow-ups by caregivers are important for optimal treatment of hypertensive individuals.

The study from IHE investigated the long-term effects (>1 year) on blood pressure (BP) and other cardiovascular risk factors among 7,752 Swedish patients treated for hypertension via a novel digital therapeutics’ platform. The platform combines home BP monitoring with remote physician follow-ups and provides app-based education and advice around BP and lifestyle factors supported by gamification.

After 360 days of treatment, the whole patient population showed a significant increase of 57% (from 37% to 58%) in the proportion of patients with controlled systolic BP (i.e. systolic BP between 115-135 mmHg). The largest reduction in systolic BP (13.8 mmHg) was observed for patients with the highest baseline systolic BP (=135 mmHg). In contrast, for patients who were hypotensive at baseline (SBP of <115 mmHg), SBP increased on average by 13.4 mmHg after treatment. BP improved most in the first three months and improvements continued during the 540-day study period. Significant beneficial changes were also observed for other risk factors of cardiovascular disease, including BMI and smoking. The study indicates promising prospects for digital therapeutics in hypertension management.

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Blood Pressure Monitoring ():10.1097/MBP.0000000000000633, December 07, 2022
DOI: 10.1097/MBP.0000000000000633