The promise of truly interactive and real-time digital counselling in patients with coronary artery disease: a commentary

This invited commentary refers to ‘Effect of interactive digital counselling on risk factors and lifestyle in patients with coronary artery disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis’, by M. Lahtinen et al., https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvae154. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a rapidly growing public health concern worldwide, and as more patients survive, the demand for tailored interventions and education increases.1,2 Modifiable lifestyle factors like reducing smoking, exercising, and improving diet are key areas where healthcare professionals, especially nurses, play a critical role in providing effective counselling.3,4 Advances in digital technology have made counselling more accessible, but many solutions lack true interactivity and a focus on prevention.5,6 Developing two-way, real-time tools that enhance or replicate the standard of care is essential. With limited evidence summarizing the current state of interactive digital counselling for patients with CAD, reviewing the available literature is both timely and meaningful. In the paper by Lahtinen et al.7, the authors evaluate the current literature on whether two-way interactive digital counselling can serve as an effective alternative or adjunct to usual care for secondary prevention. After synthesizing articles from 10 databases (IEEE, ACM, arXiv, Web of Science, CINAHL, Medline, Scopus, JMIR Publications, Xplore Digital Library, and MedNar), the authors reviewed and summarized randomized controlled trials that assessed the effects of interactive digital counselling on clinical indicators and patient-related outcomes in CAD. The data were pooled for statistical meta-analyses.