Enable individuals to take control of their health and protect themselves from heart disease, regardless of their level of risk or "predisposition"
At Hello Heart, our mission statement is clear. But as a startup its easy to get caught up in the statistics: number of daily active users, level of user engagement, average reduction in blood pressure by frequency of use, and so on. These numbers are exciting and motivating to be sure.But it's when an individual shares their personal story that we remember why we started this company and what validates our efforts. Jeff is one of these individuals, using Hello Heart (iOS, Android) to reduce his blood pressure by over 10 points![caption id="attachment_2097" align="alignnone" width="465"]
Jeff used Hello Heart to reduce his blood pressure by more than 10 pts[/caption]Jeff is 66 years old, happily married and proud to have 5 grandchildren. He retired from the army after 26 years and was living the "good life" when he received a wakeup call that it was time take control of his health.
What prompted you to start tracking your blood pressure?
I had emergency renal failure last year. I've been tracking my blood pressure ever since.
Why did you choose Hello Heart and how do you use it?
I originally tried a different app but it kept freezing so I switched to Hello Heart (iOS, Android) about 3 months ago and found it really easy to use. I take my BP at home with my portable blood pressure monitor cuff and then enter it into Hello Heart. I understand what's going on with my blood pressure on a day-by-day or week-by-week basis. I can easily see spikes or trends so I can let my primary care physician know.
You're already on medication so why is tracking so important?
I'm on medication, but getting the right meds and right dosage with the least amount of side effects is an ongoing process. With Hello Heart I just put in my BP and heart rate, establish my base line and work with my physician to understand when I need to change drugs or dosage. The app gives me a good idea of my heart's health and makes it much easier to prevent emergencies. I update my medications in there as well.
In addition to tracking, what other changes have you made to lower your BP?
- I started medications
- I started walking 3-4 miles with my dog, 3-4 times a week
- I changed my diet
With just these changes, I've gotten my BP under control to ~110 systolic. Plus I've lost 35 lbs. so I'm back to my old military weight![caption id="attachment_2096" align="alignnone" width="465"]
Jeff is back to his old military weight[/caption]
What tips do you have for lowering BP?
Get up and be active. Change your diet.
If Jeff can do it, so can you.
If you are at risk for heart disease, have a family history of heart problems or have been diagnosed with prehypertension or hypertension, monitoring your blood pressure at home is the most important thing you can do to take control of your health. An FDA-approved home BP monitor is inexpensive and Hello Heart (iOS, Android) is free. What are you waiting for?
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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