Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a range of disorders that affect the heart. The most common examples of CVDs are cerebrovascular disease, coronary heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, deep vein thrombosis, and more.
CVDs are the leading cause of death worldwide, and this is reflected in it being the main cause of mortality Portugal accounting for 345.86 deaths per 100 000 population in 2017. It was noted in a 2018 Portuguese cardiology journal that one of the main reasons why this figure is so high in the country is due to a lack of cardiovascular health-related knowledge among the population of the country.
Symptoms of CVDs often go unnoticed until a person experiences the more debilitating effects such as a heart attack or stroke. At this point, when experiencing a heart attack, they may experience pain or discomfort in the chest and/or the arms, left shoulder, elbows, jaw, or back. Additionally, they may experience shortness of breath, cold sweat, light-headed, or nausea. Signs of a stroke include numbness, particularly on just one side of the body, confusion, problems with sight, fainting, and loss of balance.
There are some CVDs that are difficult to avoid such as congenital heart disease, when you are born with a deformity in the heart or rheumatic heart disease which is cause by inflammation and scarring as a result of rheumatic fever. However, most CVDs are caused by lifestyle risks. These include unhealthy diet, abuse of drugs, prescription or otherwise, smoking, and low levels of physical activity. This does mean that many CVDs are preventable by changing habits and better health management.
Unfortunately, CVDs are more prevalent in low and middle income regions, where many do not have access to quality healthcare programs. Digital healthcare tools like Care.Wallet can help patients to be better informed about CVDs, their preventative measures, and the treatment plans by having access to them readily available. Physicians will be able to provide better help and education to a wider audience, without the barriers of geography.
Care.Wallet is a powerful tool that has the ability to have everything patients may need for successfully managing their health. If experiencing unexpected symptoms, a patient can book an appointment with a few clicks directly in the App. If a patient needs a ride to the facility, Care.Wallet has got them covered with a medical transportation solution embedded. If it’s not possible to have an in-office visit, Care.Wallet allows for booking online appointments via Global Telehealth Exchange.
With Care.Wallet the patient doesn’t have to worry about preparing for the appointment, as all their previous medical records are securely stored in their Care.Wallet and can be shared with all members of their care team in real-time. On top of that, Care.Wallet allows for symptom recording and management. Armed with all the necessary information, medical professionals can better evaluate the health condition of the patient and diagnose the problem. Prescriptions and referrals can be easily managed within the App as well. Care.Wallet has a comprehensive feedback function, called “How Are You Feeling Today” (HAYFT) Cards, that allows the patient to stay in touch with their care provider and report any changes to their health condition. In addition, the Care.Circle functionality provides an opportunity for the patient to have health information exchanged between all care professionals involved in their treatment. Family and friends can be invited to join their Care.Circle, as well to support the patient in their recovery and stay updated about their current health situation.
Care.Wallet is a powerful health management tool designed to offer a new improved standard of care and will improve the way healthcare works by putting patients in control of their health management. If you enjoyed this article, do take a look at our previous article Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIPD) in the US.
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