A growing body of research supports the use of remote patient monitoring (RPM) for adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD). In a recent report, the American Heart Association describes how consistent blood pressure tracking and communication with a healthcare provider can improve patient health and decrease the rate of acute events and associated hospitalizations. By limiting the need for hospital stays, implementing RPM will also likely reduce the economic toll of CVD.
Implementing RPM for CVD patients could have a positive impact on a broad population, as well as the healthcare systems that serve them. CVD is estimated to affect 121.5 million adults in the US, and this is expected to increase to 130 million by 2035. It has long been the leading cause of death globally. Additionally, CVD is associated with a high financial cost; five years ago, the average direct and indirect costs of CVD and stroke in the US totaled $351.2 billion.
The benefits of RPM are particularly well documented for hypertensive patients. Multiple studies have found that RPM lowers both systolic and diastolic blood pressure more than standard care or self-monitoring, and some suggest an increased improvement from longterm engagement with RPM.
RPM may also aid in early detection of atrial fibrillation and is recommended based on non-randomized trials, although results from randomized clinical trials have been inconsistent. Similarly, RPM has demonstrated a reduction in hospital admissions and mortality for adults with heart failure based on systematic reviews; however, data from randomized control trials are inconclusive. More data on best practices for RPM are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of RPM in improving patient outcomes over standard care, especially for atrial fibrillation and heart failure patients.
Beyond these results, RPM also increases the data available to make diagnoses and extends access to care, giving patients who might not otherwise see a healthcare provider regularly a tool to gather information about their health and share it with a provider. You can learn more about the benefits of RPM and how to start using it in your practice in our webinar.
