The Importance of Continuous Monitoring for Cardiovascular Health
In today’s healthcare system, traditional medical practices rely on periodic check-ups to assess a patient’s health. These “snapshot” measurements – such as blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature – taken during doctor visits provide only a limited view of a person’s overall health. This method has been standard for decades but comes with notable limitations, especially in the ongoing monitoring of subtle or evolving health issues like cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death globally. While continuous monitoring has long been utilized in clinical settings, such as the ER or ICU, this technology is evolving for application outside of these controlled environments, allowing people to monitor their health from home, work or even on the go.
Wireless continuous monitoring, such as that done with a smartwatch and mobile phone app like Antshrike™, is designed to provide accessible health insights to everyday users. It offers a level of convenience and data collection that complements traditional clinical monitoring without replacing its capabilities. Wireless monitoring allows health tracking to occur wherever individuals are, creating a detailed, ongoing profile of their health in everyday settings without requiring a hospital visit.
A continuous flow of data allows for more detailed insights, leading to the early detection of warning signs for health events that may otherwise go unnoticed. For instance, a user can be notified when their risk for a cardiac event, such as a heart attack or stroke, increases, giving them time to seek medical attention before it becomes critical. This proactive approach can improve patient outcomes by notifying patients of changes in health states, enabling them to seek medical attention ahead of critical cardiovascular events.
Overall, continuous monitoring represents a significant advancement in the management of cardiovascular health. By providing real-time data and supporting personalized treatment plans, it offers a more precise and effective healthcare approach compared to the traditional system of intermittent check-ups.