Whether you have been diagnosed with hypertension, pre-hypertension, or simply have risk factors for high blood pressure, home blood pressure monitoring gives you (and your doctor) a more complete picture of your heart health. The good news is that small changes in lifestyle and diet can lower blood pressure. The hardest part is to get started - that's where your iPhone comes in.How can an iPhone help?
It's always with you!
When you track your BP with an App, it's always with you. You can record a reading and easily track your BP not just at home, but also at the gym or at work. Once you start using an app, you don't need to work and organize the data in order to find whatever you are looking for - average and peak values will appear automatically and you can easily search for a specific date even if you have tons of data.
Easily understand what happens to you over time
Research shows that every 10 mm/Hg increase in BP increases your risk for stroke by 11% and cardiovascular disease by 10%. Apps that help you easily graph your results will help you visually see all your info in a weekly/monthly format and let you know how good or bad you are doing with simple color icons. Some apps even send you periodic summaries with your monthly average BP and let you know if it is out of your normal range. Understanding your condition and seeing patterns that cause spikes or dips, is the first step in taking control of your health.
Know when to reach out for help, don't let it happen to you!
High blood pressure is the main or secondary cause of 75% of all strokes and heart attacks. When using a good BP app you get an automatic analysis of your info according to the CDC recommendation and easily understand when you are in a hypertensive crisis range and reach out for help.
Easily communicate with your doctor
When visiting your doctor, you always have all your BP readings that he needs to see with one tap on your iPhone screen. Some apps allow you to have all your medical data on your phone as well - drugs, lab results and other tests so your doctor always have a full picture of your health. When your doctor can easily access all your medical data, you are making sure you are getting the best care.
Reminders to keep you in control of your health
If your app is HIPAA secured, your data is securely backed up and you can easily set repeated reminder to measure your BP. The first step in taking control of your health is tracking it, and reminders can make your life really easy! Over 30% of Americans with high BP live a happy health life and are able to effectively keep their condition under control.
It's super easy to get started.
Take the first step by downloading the free Hello Heart app from the iTunes Store and Google Play! If you have any questions, we would love to hear from you in the comments section or via email.
1. Gazit T, Gutman M, Beatty AL. Assessment of Hypertension Control Among Adults Participating in a Mobile Technology Blood Pressure Self-management Program. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(10):e2127008, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.27008. Accessed October 19, 2022. (Some study authors are employed by Hello Heart. Because of the observational nature of the study, causal conclusions cannot be made. See additional important study limitations in the publication. This study showed that 108 participants with baseline blood pressure over 140/90 who had been enrolled in the program for 3 years and had application activity during weeks 148-163 were able to reduce their blood pressure by 21 mmHg using the Hello Heart program.) (2) Livongo Health, Inc. Form S-1 Registration Statement. https:/www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1639225/000119312519185159/d731249ds1.htm. Published June 28, 2019. Accessed October 19, 2022. (In a pilot study that lasted six weeks, individuals starting with a blood pressure of greater than 140/90 mmHg, on average, had a 10 mmHG reduction.) NOTE: This comparison is not based on a head-to-head study, and the difference in results may be due in part to different study protocols.
2. Validation Institute. 2021 Validation Report (Valid Through October 2022). https://validationinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Hello_Heart-Savings-2021- Final.pdf. Published October 2021. Accessed October 19, 2022. (This analysis was commissioned by Hello Heart, which provided a summary report of self-fundedemployer client medical claims data for 203 Hello Heart users and 200 non-users from 2017-2020. Findings have not been subjected to peer review.)
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