AI Health Coach Lowers Blood Pressure and Boosts Engagement in Patients with Hypertension

A new study in JMIR Cardio, published by JMIR Publications, shows that a fully digital, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven lifestyle coaching program can effectively reduce blood pressure (BP) in adults with hypertension. This AI-based program leverages data from wearable activity trackers and BP monitors as well as a mobile app questionnaire to tailor lifestyle guidance. The research team, led by Jared Leitner of the University of California, San Diego, used this innovative intervention to help manage hypertension and enhance patient engagement, offering a promising alternative to traditional coaching models.

The researchers employed a single-arm nonrandomized trial to evaluate the effects of the program's personalized lifestyle guidance, which was delivered to 141 participants through SMS text messages and a mobile app. Over 24 weeks, participants with stage 2 hypertension showed significant reductions in both systolic and diastolic BP. At 12 weeks, systolic BP decreased by an average of 9.6 mm Hg and diastolic BP by 5.7 mm Hg. These reductions were even more pronounced at 24 weeks, with systolic BP dropping by 14.2 mm Hg and diastolic BP by 8.1 mm Hg.

This precision coaching program led to an increase in participants achieving BP control and a decrease in participants with stage 2 hypertension. The study also highlighted high participant engagement and minimal need for manual clinician outreach. This indicates that the AI-driven approach not only enhances BP control but also substantially reduces the workload for health care providers.

"By pinpointing the top lifestyle contributors to patients' hypertension and providing precise guidance, the AI-powered lifestyle coaching was able to maintain high patient engagement leading to improved patient outcomes. This study demonstrates how an AI-based, autonomous approach to hypertension-related lifestyle coaching can increase scalability and accessibility to effective blood pressure management," remarked Dr. Leitner.

This research underscores the potential for digital health innovations to transform hypertension management, providing scalable, cost-effective, and personalized care options for patients.

Leitner J, Chiang PH, Agnihotri P, Dey S.
The Effect of an AI-Based, Autonomous, Digital Health Intervention Using Precise Lifestyle Guidance on Blood Pressure in Adults With Hypertension: Single-Arm Nonrandomized Trial.
JMIR Cardio. 2024 May 28;8:e51916. doi: 10.2196/51916

Most Popular Now

AI Catches One-Third of Interval Breast …

An AI algorithm for breast cancer screening has potential to enhance the performance of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), reducing interval cancers by up to one-third, according to a study published...

Great plan: Now We need to Get Real abou…

The government's big plan for the 10 Year Health Plan for the NHS laid out a big role for delivery. However, the Highland Marketing advisory board felt the missing implementation...

Researchers Create 'Virtual Scienti…

There may be a new artificial intelligence-driven tool to turbocharge scientific discovery: virtual labs. Modeled after a well-established Stanford School of Medicine research group, the virtual lab is complete with an...

From WebMD to AI Chatbots: How Innovatio…

A new research article published in the Journal of Participatory Medicine unveils how successive waves of digital technology innovation have empowered patients, fostering a more collaborative and responsive health care...

New AI Tool Accelerates mRNA-Based Treat…

A new artificial intelligence (AI) model can improve the process of drug and vaccine discovery by predicting how efficiently specific mRNA sequences will produce proteins, both generally and in various...

Can Amazon Alexa or Google Home Help Det…

Computer scientists at the University of Rochester have developed an AI-powered, speech-based screening tool that can help people assess whether they are showing signs of Parkinson’s disease, the fastest growing...

AI also Assesses Dutch Mammograms Better…

AI is detecting tumors more often and earlier in the Dutch breast cancer screening program. Those tumors can then be treated at an earlier stage. This has been demonstrated by...

RSNA AI Challenge Models can Independent…

Algorithms submitted for an AI Challenge hosted by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) have shown excellent performance for detecting breast cancers on mammography images, increasing screening sensitivity while...

AI could Help Emergency Rooms Predict Ad…

Artificial intelligence (AI) can help emergency department (ED) teams better anticipate which patients will need hospital admission, hours earlier than is currently possible, according to a multi-hospital study by the...

Head-to-Head Against AI, Pharmacy Studen…

Students pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree routinely take - and pass - rigorous exams to prove competency in several areas. Can ChatGPT accurately answer the same questions? A new...

NHS Active 10 Walking Tracker Users are …

Users of the NHS Active 10 app, designed to encourage people to become more active, immediately increased their amount of brisk and non-brisk walking upon using the app, according to...

The Human Touch of Doctors will Still be…

AI-based medicine will revolutionise care including for Alzheimer’s and diabetes, predicts a technology expert, but it must be accessible to all patients. Healing with Artificial Intelligence, written by technology expert Daniele...