Devices used for non-invasive tele homecare for cardiovascular patients: A systematic literature review

Abstract

The aim of this Systematic Review (SLR) was to provide an overview of devices used for non-invasive tele health care by patients diagnosed with heart failure (HF). All English studies published in the past 10 years that focused on tele home care for coronary heart diseases, cardiac arrhythmia or heart failure patients were systematically searched in Scopus and Pubmed. Articles were selected if added value of tele-monitoring for these patients was studied. Selected titles and abstracts were screened to determine eligibility for further review. Types and number of devices per disease were then withdrawn and categorized for the three diseases. Eight devices were found in the literature to be used in non-invasive tele homecare for patients diagnosed with heart failure, of which weight scales and blood pressure monitors were most commonly used and are the most frequently occurring combination. The knowledge on which tele homecare devices are most commonly used gives insights into which devices are the best choice needed for patients with heart failure, where product suppliers and healthcare providers can respond to. The results create future directions for studying different aspects of tele homecare devices, such as usability aspects, which is an important factor for acceptance of telemedicine.