TY  - JOUR
AU  - Starnecker, Fabian
AU  - Reimer, Lara Marie
AU  - Nissen, Leon
AU  - Jovanović, Marko
AU  - Kapsecker, Maximilian
AU  - Rospleszcz, Susanne
AU  - von Scheidt, Moritz
AU  - Krefting, Johannes
AU  - Krüger, Nils
AU  - Perl, Benedikt
AU  - Wiehler, Jens
AU  - Sun, Ruoyu
AU  - Jonas, Stephan
AU  - Schunkert, Heribert
PY  - 2023
DA  - 2023/12/8
TI  - Guideline-Based Cardiovascular Risk Assessment Delivered by an mHealth App: Development Study
JO  - JMIR Cardio
SP  - e50813
VL  - 7
KW  - cardiovascular disease
KW  - cardiovascular risk assessment
KW  - HerzFit
KW  - mobile health app
KW  - mHealth app
KW  - public information campaigns
KW  - prevention
KW  - risk calculator
KW  - mobile phone
AB  - Background: Identifying high-risk individuals is crucial for preventing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Currently, risk assessment is mostly performed by physicians. Mobile health apps could help decouple the determination of risk from medical resources by allowing unrestricted self-assessment. The respective test results need to be interpretable for laypersons. Objective: Together with a patient organization, we aimed to design a digital risk calculator that allows people to individually assess and optimize their CVD risk. The risk calculator was integrated into the mobile health app HerzFit, which provides the respective background information. Methods: To cover a broad spectrum of individuals for both primary and secondary prevention, we integrated the respective scores (Framingham 10-year CVD, Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation 2, Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation 2 in Older Persons, and Secondary Manifestations Of Arterial Disease) into a single risk calculator that was recalibrated for the German population. In primary prevention, an individual’s heart age is estimated, which gives the user an easy-to-understand metric for assessing cardiac health. For secondary prevention, the risk of recurrence was assessed. In addition, a comparison of expected to mean and optimal risk levels was determined. The risk calculator is available free of charge. Data safety is ensured by processing the data locally on the users’ smartphones. Results: Offering a risk calculator to the general population requires the use of multiple instruments, as each provides only a limited spectrum in terms of age and risk distribution. The integration of 4 internationally recommended scores allows risk calculation in individuals aged 30 to 90 years with and without CVD. Such integration requires recalibration and harmonization to provide consistent and plausible estimates. In the first 14 months after the launch, the HerzFit calculator was downloaded more than 96,000 times, indicating great demand. Public information campaigns proved effective in publicizing the risk calculator and contributed significantly to download numbers. Conclusions: The HerzFit calculator provides CVD risk assessment for the general population. The public demonstrated great demand for such a risk calculator as it was downloaded up to 10,000 times per month, depending on campaigns creating awareness for the instrument. 
SN  - 2561-1011
UR  - https://cardio.jmir.org/2023/1/e50813
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/50813
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38064248
DO  - 10.2196/50813
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/50813
ER  -