Overall , these aggregations of data provide evidence that DHIs can reduce CVD outcomes and have a positive impact on risk factors for CVD
OBJECTIVE To assess the potential benefit of digital health interventions ( DHIs ) on  cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) outcomes ( CVD events , all-cause mortality , hospitalizations ) and risk factors compared with non-DHIs .
Therapeutic benefit of internet-based lifestyle counselling for hypertension.
BACKGROUND Preventive electronic (e)-counselling has been shown to reduce cardiovascular risk factors . However , heterogeneity in outcomes is commonly reported due to differences in e- protocol s. We incorporated key features of an established behavioural therapy , motivational interviewing , to help st and ardize e-counselling in order to reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension . METHODS Subjects ( n = 387 , mean age = 56 years , 59 % female , 72 % taking ≥ 1 antihypertensive drug ) were diagnosed with stage 1 or 2 hypertension . Subjects were r and omized to a 4-month protocol of e-counselling ( beta version of the " Blood Pressure Action Plan " , Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada ) vs waitlist control ( general e-information on heart-healthy living ) . Outcomes were systolic , diastolic , and pulse pressures , and total lipoprotein cholesterol after treatment . RESULTS Intention to treat analysis did not find a significant group difference in outcomes due to contamination across the 2 arms of this trial . However , per protocol analysis indicated that subjects receiving ≥ 8 e-counselling messages ( a priori therapeutic dose ) vs 0 e-counselling messages ( control ) demonstrated greater reduction in systolic blood pressure ( mean , -8.9 mm Hg ; 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , -11.5 to -6.4 vs -5.0 mm Hg ; 95 % CI , -6.7 to -3.3 , P = 0.03 ) , pulse pressure ( -6.1 mm Hg ; 95 % CI , -8.1 to -4.1 vs -3.1 mm Hg ; 95 % CI , -4.3 to -1.8 , P = 0.02 ) and total cholesterol ( -0.24 mmol/L ; 95 % CI , -0.43 to -0.06 vs 0.05 mmol/L ; 95 % CI , -0.06 to 0.16 , P = 0.03 ) , but not diastolic blood pressure . CONCLUSIONS These findings support the merit of evaluating whether e-counselling can improve blood pressure control and reduce cardiovascular risk over the long-term
Overall , these aggregations of data provide evidence that DHIs can reduce CVD outcomes and have a positive impact on risk factors for CVD
OBJECTIVE To assess the potential benefit of digital health interventions ( DHIs ) on  cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) outcomes ( CVD events , all-cause mortality , hospitalizations ) and risk factors compared with non-DHIs .