JMIR Cardio

Atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation is an effective treatment for reducing episodes and improving quality of life in patients with AF. However, long-term AF-free rates after AF ablation are inconsistent across the population, ranging from 50% to 75%. Current patient selection relies on individual clinical assessment, highlighting a critical gap in population-level predictive analytics. While existing risk scores like CHADS₂, CHA₂DS₂-VASc, and CAAP-AF have been applied to predict AF ablation outcomes, their performance in administrative claims data remains unclear. Leveraging large administrative claims databases represents an opportunity to develop standardized, scalable prediction models that could inform population health management and resource allocation at a national level.

Wearable activity monitors offer clinicians and researchers accessible, scalable, and cost-effective tools for continuous remote monitoring of functional status. These technologies can complement traditional clinical outcome measures by providing detailed, minute-by-minute remotely collected data on a wide array of biometrics that include, as examples, physical activity and heart rate. There is significant potential for the use of these devices in rehabilitation after stroke if individuals will wear and use the devices; however, the acceptance of these devices by persons with stroke is not well understood.

Many patients experience a gradual decline in health before seeking hospital care, with subtle changes in vital signs such as increased heart rate or decreased mobility. Recognising deviations from baseline vital signs can support clinical decision making, especially admission decisions. Smart devices (i.e. smartphones, smartwatches and activity trackers) track health metrics like heart rate and step count, offering new opportunities to estimate illness severity and tracking deterioration early.

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) has emerged as an effective strategy for controlling hypertension by enabling patients to collect and transmit blood pressure (BP) data outside the clinic and supporting proactive care team interventions. While its benefits for hypertension management are well established, less is known about its effectiveness for patients with multiple chronic conditions (MCC), who experience higher morbidity, mortality, and costs.

Telemedicine enables the provision of health services at a distance using information and communication technologies and includes different types of services: telemonitoring, remote control, virtual visit or televisit, tele referral, teleassistance, medical teleconsultation, health professionals’ teleconsultation and tele rehabilitation. Continuous monitoring, early care, and greater therapeutic adherence could be benefits of telemedicine in the management of cardiovascular diseases. There are not many studies in the literature investigating the use of telemedicine in cardiology in Italy.

Effective hypertension management, particularly through self-care strategies, remains a significant public health challenge. Despite widespread awareness, only approximately 1 in 5 adults achieve adequate blood pressure (BP) control. There is a growing need for scalable digital health interventions that enhance awareness, support behavioral change, and improve clinical outcomes. However, real-world evidence evaluating the impact of such interventions on BP levels and their underlying mechanisms is limited.

The management of heart failure (HF) requires complex, data-driven decision-making. Although electronic health record (EHR) systems and clinical decision support (CDS) tools can streamline access to essential clinical information, it remains unclear which EHR elements and tools cardiologists and general medicine physicians prioritize when caring for HF patients.

Cardiac surgeries in Chile lack a national registry for systematic data collection and analysis, limiting insights into procedural outcomes and patient demographics. In response to this gap, we developed a web-based platform to support the documentation of high-complexity cardiac surgeries.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) burden is associated with cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart failure. Recent advancements in photoplethysmography (PPG) technology have provided new insights into non-invasive and convenient AF burden detection.

Remote care technology has been used to bridge the gap between healthcare in a clinical setting and in the community, all the more essential post-covid. Patients with chronic conditions may benefit from interventions that could provide more continuous and frequent monitoring of their disease process and support self-management. A common barrier however is the lack of engagement with technological interventions or devices that provide care remotely, which could lead to loss of resources invested and reduced quality of care.

Emergency Department (ED) crowding is often attributed to a slow hospitalization process, leading to reduced quality of care. Predicting early disposition with cardiac-presenting patients is challenging: most are ultimately discharged, yet those with a cardiac etiology frequently require hospital admission. Existing scores rely on single-time-point data and often underperform when patient risk evolves during the visit.

Heart disease remains a leading cause of death for women in the United States, yet awareness and knowledge are declining. Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots have great potential to educate women.