By – Dr (Hon) S Senthil Kandeepan, MD and CEO, Healthwatch
Heart attacks are threatening people of all ages across the globe, and as with anything else, prevention is better than cure! And to prevent heart disease, the three biggest factors that you need to watch out for are your diet, your physical activity and your mental health. By just paying attention to these three aspects of your lifestyles – eating healthy and timely, keeping yourself fit and active, and learning to deal with pressure so it doesn’t turn into stress, you can keep your heart healthy.
However, for people living with complex heart conditions, the lingering effects of COVID 19 – both physical and psychological – can prove to be just as dangerous as the virus itself, particularly when it keeps people from seeking the medical help they require. In such a scenario, patients can turn to remote monitoring which has come as a boon, making remote care possible for people, especially those living with chronic conditions like diabetes and heart arrhythmias. At-home diagnostics are not just a significant tool in healthcare management allowing patients to play an active part in monitoring their health, but also help identify potential symptoms before they become serious.
Research has established that 38% of healthcare organisations running remote-monitoring patient programs focused on chronic care management reported reduced admissions, while 17% cited cost reductions. Research in this field is constantly evolving, with innovations in technology and data analysis making testing options increasingly precise and accessible. It is also allowing individuals to have access to conduct simple tests at home and receive real-time results thereby holding out the promise of improving health and treatment outcomes.
WHO report indicates people at risk of cardiovascular disease demonstrate symptoms
A WHO report indicated that people at risk of cardiovascular disease demonstrate symptoms that if identified in time can prevent premature deaths. It also highlights that cardiovascular diseases account for 45% of deaths in the 40-69 years’ age group. Another recent report by the WHO highlights that heart diseases, also known as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), are the leading cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. This constitutes nearly 31 percent of deaths worldwide. It has also been observed that 85 percent of heart diseases comprise heart attacks and strokes. In such a scenario, remote healthcare will continue to play an even bigger role in the future of cardiovascular care and management.
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Patients with remote monitoring devices are nearly two-and-a-half times more likely to survive than those without it. It provides comfort, ease and the safety of sharing critical information in a secure manner with the doctor at any time of the day, pre-empting the need of seeing them in their clinic. Remote monitoring is also enabling patients to enjoy better quality of life by giving them the liberty to go anywhere, anytime without worrying about their health.
With digital health solutions now emerging as the fastest growing segment in the healthcare sector and remote care platforms providing patients healthcare options from the comfort of their homes, patients are also now developing trust and are convinced with the transparency it is offering between the patient and the doctor. Equipping patients with the technology to track and closely monitor their health vitals at any given hour and also creating a database for doctors to examine and predict any health emergencies, the advent of health technology has reshaped and redefined the doctor-patient connect. As research continues to broaden our understanding of the pros and cons of remote health monitoring, we are looking at a future where personalised, easy-to-use and efficacious healthcare will be within the reach of everyone, thereby leading to better heart health management as we all as treatment outcomes.
