Stanford launches smartphone app to study heart health

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine launched a first-of-its-kind iPhone app as an easy-to-use research tool that will enable users to help advance the understanding of the health of the human heart.

The MyHeart Counts app will collect data about physical activity and cardiac risk factors for Stanford scientists studying the prevention and treatment of heart disease.

The free app uses the new ResearchKit framework announced today by Apple, which gives users a simple way to participate in the study, complete tasks and answer surveys from their iPhones. The app will deliver a comprehensive assessment of each user’s heart health and provide information on how to improve it. In the future, it will also be used to study various methods — designed to be both easy and fun — for using smartphones and other wearable devices to enhance heart-healthy habits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMI5gkg0G5Y&feature=youtu.be

“We are looking for everyone who is curious as to how healthy their heart is to download this app,” said Alan Yeung, MD, the Li Ka Shing Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Stanford. “Users will be able to see their activity and fitness levels, and their ‘heart age.’ We’ll also be able to study what motivates people to improve their heart health.”