Key result
Interventions comprising smartphones and wearable devices significantly increased physical activity among patients with cardiovascular disease by a mean difference of 1097 steps per day.
Why the study?
Wearables and smartphones offer potential advantages in cost, accessibility, and scale, but their effectiveness in enhancing physical activity among individuals with cardiovascular disease needed evaluation.
Do physical activity interventions using wearables and smartphone applications improve physical activity levels in patients with cardiovascular diseases?
Meta-Analysis (n=1,057)
Do physical activity interventions using wearables and smartphone applications improve physical activity levels in patients with cardiovascular diseases?
Mean Difference: 1097.38 (95% CI 409.17–1785.6)
p-value: p=0.0018
Interventions comprising smartphones and wearable devices effectively increase objective physical activity measures (daily steps and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity) among patients with cardiovascular disease.
Supports recommending smartphone and wearable interventions to increase activity in cardiovascular disease; extends randomized evidence for digital tools in secondary prevention.
BACKGROUND: Lack of physical activity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Wearables and smartphones offer potential advantages in cost, accessibility, and scale to change physical activity. This systematic review aims to determine if interventions comprising smartphones and wearables are effective in enhancing physical activity among individuals with cardiovascular disease. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were searched for randomized controlled trials, published since January 2000, on wearables and smartphone applications to enhance physical activity among patients with cardiovascular disease. Nonrandomized trials and interventions without a smartphone/wearable component were excluded. Risk of bias was assessed by the Cochrane Collaboration tool. Meta-analyses were performed to assess the pooled effect on steps per day, distance, oxygen consumption, and (moderate-to-vigorous) physical activity in minutes per day. RESULTS: =0.0413) minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity per day compared with control groups. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis showed that interventions comprising smartphones and wearable devices are effective at increasing physical activity among patients with cardiovascular disease. Wearables and smartphones could provide accessible and tailored interventions to enhance physical activity.
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Vemuri et al. (2026) conducted a meta-analysis in Cardiovascular diseases (n=1,057). Smartphone applications and wearable activity trackers vs. Usual care or control was evaluated on Change in steps per day from baseline to post-intervention (MD 1097.38, 95% CI 409.17-1785.60, p=0.0018). Interventions comprising smartphones and wearable devices significantly increased physical activity among patients with cardiovascular disease by a mean difference of 1097 steps per day.
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