Use of Electronic Messages in the Follow-Up of Patients With Heart Failure: Randomized Pilot Study

Igor Santos Schonhofen; André Maurício Souza Fernandes; Roque Aras Júnior; Taís Sousa Macêdo; Bruno Bonfim Da Silveira; Guilherme de Andrade Costa; Marina Domingues Feitosa; André Rodrigues Durães

doi:10.1177/11786329231154692

Use of Electronic Messages in the Follow-Up of Patients With Heart Failure: Randomized Pilot Study

Health Serv Insights. 2023 Feb 14:16:11786329231154692. doi: 10.1177/11786329231154692. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Igor Santos Schonhofen¹, André Maurício Souza Fernandes², Roque Aras Júnior³, Taís Sousa Macêdo⁴, Bruno Bonfim Da Silveira⁴, Guilherme de Andrade Costa⁵, Marina Domingues Feitosa⁶, André Rodrigues Durães²

Affiliations

¹ Postgraduate Program in Medicine and Health (PPgMS), Faculty of Medicine of Bahia, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
² General Hospital Roberto Santos/SUS-Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
³ Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
⁴ Medical School, Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health, EBMSP, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
⁵ Medical School, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
⁶ Medical School, UNIFACS, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

Abstract

Heart Failure (HF) has been ide.epsied as an important public health problem, with high morbidity and mortality, despite advances in current therapy. New strategies are demanded to reduce the number of hospitalizations and deaths. Telemedicine approaches could improve the management of patients with cardiovascular conditions. Sixty patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) were randomized to this pilot study. Weekly electronic messages were sent for 1 year. The use of telemedicine was effective instrument for the evolutionary follow-up of patients with HFrEF during the COVID-19 pandemic, but did not demonstrate an impact on the reduction of cardiovascular outcomes or hospitalization for HF. REBEC - Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials ide.epsier RBR-5q6x56k. Monitoring heart disease patients via WhatsApp during the COVID-19 pandemic. Available from http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-5q6x56k/.

Keywords: COVID-19; Heart failure; WhatsApp®; electronic messages; telehealth; telemedicine; virtual care.