Digital Health in Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease

ABSTRACT

Background

Digital health technologies are rapidly evolving and transforming the care of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Purpose of the review

In this review, we discuss emerging approaches incorporating digital health technologies to improve patient outcomes through a more continuous, accessible, proactive, and patient-centered approach. We discuss various mechanisms of potential benefit ranging from early detection to enhanced physiologic monitoring over time to helping shape important management decisions and engaging patients in their care. Furthermore, we discuss the potential for better individualization of management, which is particularly important in diseases with heterogeneous and complex manifestations, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This narrative review explores ways to leverage digital health technology to better extend the reach of clinicians beyond the physical hospital and clinic spaces to address disparities in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Conclusion

We are at the early stages of the shift to digital medicine, which holds substantial promise not only to improve patient outcomes but also to lower the costs of care. The review concludes by recognizing the challenges and limitations that need to be addressed for optimal implementation and impact. We present recommendations on how to navigate these challenges as well as goals and opportunities in utilizing digital health technology in the management of diabetes and prevention of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Cardiovascular disease
• diabetes mellitus
• digital health technology
• lifestyle management
• mobile health
• wearable devices

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The present manuscript did not have dedicated funding. CHK has received research support from the American Heart Association [20SFRN35380046, 20SFRN35490003]. SSM reports research support from the American Heart Association [20SFRN35380046, 20SFRN35490003, #878924, #882415, #946222], the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute [ME-2019C1-15 328, IHS-2021C3-24147], the National Institutes of Health (NIH) [P01 HL108800 and R01AG071032], the David and June Trone Family Foundation, the Pollin Digital Innovation Fund, Sandra and Larry Small, Google, and Merck.