Tracking Measurements on Medisafe correlated with Improved Blood Pressure

Study rationale

• One in every three U.S. adults, about 78 million Americans, have high blood pressure, the single most important and most common risk factor for cardiovascular disease
• Only 51% of Americans treated for hypertension are adherent to long-term medication therapy
• Only 52% have their blood pressure under control
• The total health and economic costs of all cardiovascular disease was more than $656 billion in 2015, with a projected cost of $1.2 trillion by 2030
• The American Heart Association asserts that reducing average population systolic blood pressure by 12 to 13 mmHg could reduce incidence of stroke by 37%, coronary heart disease by 21%, and cardiovascular disease mortality by 25%

The NIH-funded SPRINT study published this year revealed that even more aggressive treatment targeting 120 mmHg systolic – as opposed to 140 mmHg – led to a 30% lower risk of adverse cardiovascular events and 25% lower risk of death.

Methodology

Medisafe’s study examined 3 risk profiles:

1. Prehypertension (120 to 139 mmHg systolic)
2. Hypertension stage 1 (140 to 160 mmHg systolic)
3. Hypertension stage 2 (above 160 mmHg systolic)

To be included in the study and assigned to a risk profile, users needed at least two readings within a risk profile. These readings were then averaged to provide a baseline. The same logic and calculation was applied for the final week of readings. Medisafe limited the analysis to users reporting measurements via “connected devices” – WiFi- or Bluetooth-enabled blood pressure cuffs automatically transmitting levels to Medisafe to eliminate the potential for self-reporting bias.

Study results

• With stage 1 hypertension (120-140 mmHg) decreased their systolic blood pressure by 17.7 mmHg
• With stage 2 hypertension (over 160 mmHg) decreased their systolic blood pressure by 25.3 mmHg
• With stage 1 or 2 hypertension reduced systolic blood pressure levels by an average of 19.3 mmHg
• 100% of stage 2 users reduced their systolic blood pressure. The mean result was a 25.3 mmHg improvement in 30 days
• 86% of stage 2 users reduced their risk category (i.e., moved to hypertension stage 1 of 140 to 160, or below)
• 66% of stage 1 users reduced their systolic blood pressure. The mean result was a 17.7 mmHg improvement in 30 days
• 56% of stage 1 users reduced their risk category (i.e., moved to prehypertension systolic of 120 to 139, or below)
• Against a hypothesis of greater than 5 mmHg decrease in systolic, users in both stages showed high statistical significance with p-values below .001
• Users in both stages sustained lower levels, suggesting persisted adherence, for at least an additional 40 days, after which time insufficient data were available
• 23% of prehypertension and 9 percent of stage 1 users reduced their systolic blood pressure into the normal range below 120 mmHg

These study results are consistent with Medisafe’s previously announced findings that its users are 86% adherent to their medication regimens, versus the WHO’s estimate of 50 percent for the nation as a whole. Medisafe’s mission is to continue developing the app to better fit the needs of hypertensive patients for improved clinical outcomes – and to tackle the huge issue of high blood pressure in the U.S.