Heart Disease
Top 10 Heart Disease Apps of 2012
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over 616,000 people died from heart disease complications – one in every four deaths – in 2008.
If you're either at risk for or suffering from heart disease, you can take action now with a combination of behavior modification, medically-supervised treatment, and the following 10 apps.
Please note: Healthline Networks does not endorse or warrant for fitness of purpose any of these applications. These apps have not been evaluated for medical accuracy by Healthline Networks and unless otherwise indicated, haven’t been approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA).
Sodium One ~ Sodium Counter
iPhone - 4 stars with 122 ratings - $0.99
You've heard for decades that a diet rich in salt has been linked to hypertension or high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease.
Now, with the Sodium One app, you can stop the vicious salt cycle. The sodium counter enables you to track salt, calorie, and water intake as well as exercise. With an existing database of 65,000 food items, including your favorite brand name and restaurant items, you'll get the nutrition and calorie-burning information you need quickly and easily. At the end of the day, week, or month, you can see if you stayed within your sodium budget.
STAT Framingham Heart Age
iPhone - 3 stars with 102 ratings - Free
Begun in 1948 (but still ongoing) the Framingham Heart Study is the seminal cardiovascular study on residents of the town of Framingham, Massachusetts. Research from this study has told us much including the effects of diet, exercise, and aspirin on cardiovascular health. Based on data from this study researchers developed a risk score to estimate the 10-year cardiovascular risks of both men and women.
The STAT Framingham Heart Age app brings this critical information to smartphone users. Just plug in some basic information and get your heart age. With this information handy, you might find yourself inspired to modify some of your unhealthy behaviors.
Echocardiography Atlas by Epocrates
iPhone - 4 stars with 26 ratings - Free
If you're a cardiologist, cardiac surgeon, sonographer, medical student, or anyone who wants an inside look at heart diseases, you'll do well to download the Echocardiography Atlas by Epocrates app, edited by Scott D.Solomon, MD.
View 250 annotated images and 189 videos, spanning the range of the most common cardiovascular diseases. Zoom and pan echocardiograms, and search for specific diseases such as aortic valve disease, myocardial infarction, infectious endocarditis, and more.
Instant Heart Rate
Android - 4.3 stars with 84,907 ratings - 5 million - Free
Exercise can do much to improve your overall cardiovascular health. But if you want to make the most of your workouts without putting unnecessary stress on your heart, it's important to know your target heart rate.
After calculating your target heart rate, use the award-winning Instant Heart Rate app during exercise to see if you're hitting it. Just place the tip of your index finger on the phone’s camera and in mere seconds you will know your heart rate. Use it to maximize workouts, to test your stress levels, or to determine overall heart fitness during resting periods.
Heart Disease Risk Calculate
Android - 3.3 stars with 44 ratings - 10K–50K installs in the last 30 days - Free
According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, responsible for 2,200 deaths each day. So arm yourself with the necessary information to minimize your risk.
Based on data derived from the Boston University Framingham Heart Study, the Heart Disease Risk Calculate app can assess your risk factors for getting coronary heart disease (CHD) in the next decade. Just enter your information into the application and you'll receive a risk score that you can share with your doctor.
Heart Failure Trials
Android - 4.9 stars with 33 ratings - $2.99
iPhone - 5 stars with 68 ratings - $2.99
If you have heart disease or are caring for someone who does, there's no better time than today to educate yourself on clinical trials around heart failure.
The five-star Heart Failure Trials app will keep you up to date with the latest in heart failure research and evidenced-based medicine. Developed by renowned heart failure cardiologist David Majure, MD MPH, the database is constantly updated with the latest trials and expert opinions on beta-blockers, antiarrhythmics, Fish Oil (n-3 PUFA), surgical therapy, pulmonary artery catheters, and more.
Stress Check by Azumio
Android - 3.9 stars with 839 ratings - Free
iPhone - 3.5 stars with 102 ratings - $0.99
Numerous studies have demonstrated a link between stress and heart disease. There are several things that you can do to bring your stress levels down from taking B vitamins to meditation. But your first step is to uncover where your stress levels lie.
The Stress Check by Azumio app can measure your stress levels by measuring your heart rate variability through the camera and light features on your smartphone. With this information, you'll also be able to determine the effects of different stressors, minimize stress and track progress, and reduce the likelihood of certain stress-associated diseases such as heart disease.
PulsePoint By PulsePoint Foundation
iPhone - 4.5 stars with 31 ratings
Android - 4.4 stars with 47 ratings - Free
If someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be one of the greatest, life-saving tools available.
This extraordinary app allows users who have indicated they are trained in CPR the ability to provide life-saving assistance by notifying them if someone nearby is having a cardiac emergency and may require CPR, using sophisticated location-based services. Now that's a life saver in your pocket!
Sodium Tracker
iPhone - 3.5 stars with 7 ratings - Free
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends you eat less than a teaspoon or 2,300 mg of salt per day. If you have high blood pressure, the number drops down to 1,500 mg per day. But how can you track your salt intake so that you don't forget?
You can use the Sodium Tracker app. This simple, bare bones app, allows you to input sodium information, keep lists of your favorite foods for quick adds, and set your daily goal, so you can be better equipped to meet it!
Food Street- Heart Healthy
Android - 3.6 stars with 30 ratings - Free
iPhone - 3.5 stars with 15 ratings - $0.99
According to American Heart Association (AHA) recommendations, a heart healthy diet can reduce your risk for, or improve your current treatment for heart disease. So if the only thing you know how to prepare is double bacon cheeseburgers with fries and onion rings, you're in real trouble.
Enter the Food Street- Heart Healthy app to the rescue. Through this recipe-rich app, you'll find heart healthy recipes that are low in cholesterol, fat, and salt, and searchable by category such as soups, main dishes, desserts, and more — that you just won't be able to get enough of. With this app, you'll be thinking inside the whole wheat bun.
Choose a Heart Healthy App
According to the American Heart Association, one in three adults has some form of cardiovascular disease. Fortunately 80 percent of these cases can be prevented. But their recommendations — get active, control cholesterol, eat better, manage blood pressure, lose weight, reduce blood sugar, and stop smoking — may seem overwhelming.
But they're not insurmountable. With improved diet and exercise, you can turn YOUR beat around. Use the 10 aforementioned apps for added support and go from heart attack to NordicTrack in no time.
Methodology
We selected these heart disease apps based on their potential to aid people with heart disease and their loved ones in a number of ways. Additional factors considered in selecting these apps included: user ratings, affordability, accessibility, format, functionality, and relevance to heart disease and its community's needs. Together, this collection represents the gamut of helpful iPhone and Android apps that are successfully designed to make life with heart disease more manageable.
