[{"innerBlocks":[],"name":"core\/freeform","postId":1179,"blockType":{"name":"core\/freeform","keywords":[],"attributes":{"content":{"type":"string","source":"raw"},"lock":{"type":"object"}},"providesContext":[],"usesContext":[],"selectors":[],"supports":{"className":false,"customClassName":false,"reusable":false},"styles":[],"variations":[],"apiVersion":3,"title":"Classic","description":"Use the classic WordPress editor.","category":"text"},"originalContent":"Using a smartphone app, patients with diabetes and uncontrolled hypertension were able to significantly reduce their blood pressure within six weeks.

That\u2019s the finding of a pilot study funded by vendor Livongo, the maker of the app that remotely monitors blood pressure, provides recommendations on healthy choices and connects users with a health coach.

The study\u2019s results, which will be presented later this month at the American College of Cardiology\u2019s Annual Scientific Session in New Orleans, show that participants\u2019 systolic blood pressure declined by an average of 5.4 mm Hg and diastolic pressure declined by 3.5 mm Hg on average.

\u201cWe have shown in this pilot study that, in a population with both diabetes and high blood pressure, six weeks of remote blood pressure monitoring\u2014accompanied by education about high blood pressure management and access to health coaches\u2014can significantly improve blood pressure control,\u201d says lead author Bimal R. Shah, MD, chief medical officer of Livongo and assistant consulting professor at Duke University School of Medicine.

\u201cThe improvement is comparable to what doctors would expect to see if a patient had started taking a low to moderate dose of a high blood pressure medication,\u201d adds Shah.

Also See<\/b>: Tech powers Brigham and Women's Hospital home-based hypertension program<\/a>

All of the study\u2019s 708 participants had diabetes, and 63 percent had blood pressure higher than 130\/80 mm Hg\u2014the threshold for a diagnosis of stage 1 high blood pressure, according to the revised 2017 guideline issued by ACC and the American Heart Association. In addition, a subgroup (28.7 percent) had blood pressure higher than 140\/90 mm Hg\u2014the threshold for stage 2 high blood pressure, according to the guideline.

At six weeks, 40.8 percent of participants had blood pressure below 130\/80 mm Hg, while 23.6 percent still had blood pressure higher than 140\/90 mm Hg.

\u201cThis was a short study to demonstrate the proof of concept,\u201d concludes Shah. \"With longer follow-up and further coaching, we expect that more participants will see durable blood pressure reductions.\u201d

At the same time, he acknowledged the study\u2019s limitation was that it did not include a control group that received traditional care for hypertension. As a follow up, Shah and his colleagues are planning to conduct a randomized trial to validate their findings.","saveContent":"Using a smartphone app, patients with diabetes and uncontrolled hypertension were able to significantly reduce their blood pressure within six weeks.

That\u2019s the finding of a pilot study funded by vendor Livongo, the maker of the app that remotely monitors blood pressure, provides recommendations on healthy choices and connects users with a health coach.

The study\u2019s results, which will be presented later this month at the American College of Cardiology\u2019s Annual Scientific Session in New Orleans, show that participants\u2019 systolic blood pressure declined by an average of 5.4 mm Hg and diastolic pressure declined by 3.5 mm Hg on average.

\u201cWe have shown in this pilot study that, in a population with both diabetes and high blood pressure, six weeks of remote blood pressure monitoring\u2014accompanied by education about high blood pressure management and access to health coaches\u2014can significantly improve blood pressure control,\u201d says lead author Bimal R. Shah, MD, chief medical officer of Livongo and assistant consulting professor at Duke University School of Medicine.

\u201cThe improvement is comparable to what doctors would expect to see if a patient had started taking a low to moderate dose of a high blood pressure medication,\u201d adds Shah.

Also See<\/b>: Tech powers Brigham and Women's Hospital home-based hypertension program<\/a>

All of the study\u2019s 708 participants had diabetes, and 63 percent had blood pressure higher than 130\/80 mm Hg\u2014the threshold for a diagnosis of stage 1 high blood pressure, according to the revised 2017 guideline issued by ACC and the American Heart Association. In addition, a subgroup (28.7 percent) had blood pressure higher than 140\/90 mm Hg\u2014the threshold for stage 2 high blood pressure, according to the guideline.

At six weeks, 40.8 percent of participants had blood pressure below 130\/80 mm Hg, while 23.6 percent still had blood pressure higher than 140\/90 mm Hg.

\u201cThis was a short study to demonstrate the proof of concept,\u201d concludes Shah. \"With longer follow-up and further coaching, we expect that more participants will see durable blood pressure reductions.\u201d

At the same time, he acknowledged the study\u2019s limitation was that it did not include a control group that received traditional care for hypertension. As a follow up, Shah and his colleagues are planning to conduct a randomized trial to validate their findings.","order":0,"get_parent":{},"attributes":[],"attributesType":{"content":{"type":"string","source":"raw"},"lock":{"type":"object"}},"dynamicContent":""}]

Pilot shows app improves blood pressure control

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