How Remote Patient Monitoring Leads to Significant & Meaningful Reductions in Risk of Major Cardiovascular Events

By Dr. Wesley Smith and Dr. Craig Flanagan

Could a small reduction in blood pressure really alter your risk of cardiovascular incidents and mortality? A landmark meta-analysis (a large “study of studies”) published in The Lancet answers this with a resounding yes. This is why managing hypertension, often cited as a silent killer, is so important. The study, which analyzed data from 344,716 participants in randomized clinical trials, showed that reducing systolic blood pressure (SBP) by just 5 mmHg could lower the risk of major cardiovascular events—including stroke, heart attack, and heart failure – by 10%. This was true regardless of whether participants had preexisting cardiovascular disease. Given the importance of managing this extremely common and serious condition, these findings hold powerful implications for Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) programs focused on blood pressure.

Real-World Improvements in the HealthSnap RPM Program

One of the most rewarding experiences of witnessing the benefits of HealthSnap’s RPM program across multiple conditions, particularly the common use-case hypertension, is to see these unprecedented – incredible results. RPM with HealthSnap’s program and clinical services has helped providers lower the mean arterial pressure of their patients by 214,820 mmHg, the pressure needed to inflate the truck tires of two 18-wheelers (plus 5 extra spare tires).?

We recently analyzed data from patients actively engaged in HealthSnap’s RPM program for the management of hypertension. The inclusion criteria for this analysis focused on patients who actively transmitted their health data for at least 90 days, with a minimum compliance rate of 50% for data transmission, which approximately aligns with the CMS RPM billing criteria (CPT 99454). These patients began with baseline blood pressure readings of ≥140 mmHg SBP or ≥90 mmHg DBP across their first seven data transmissions. Here’s what the HealthSnap data revealed:

• SBP decreased by an average of 15.06 mmHg.
• DBP decreased by an average of 8.60 mmHg.
• 84.85% of patients successfully lowered their SBP.
• 84.95% of patients successfully lowered their DBP.
• Notably, 62.1% of these patients now have SBP readings below 140 mm Hg and DBP readings below 90 mm Hg.

The average engagement in the program spanned 367 days, with a strong data transmission rate of 74.31%, meaning that patients were highly engaged and transmitted data nearly 3 out of every 4 days in the program.

What These Numbers Mean for Reducing Cardiovascular Risks

Building on The Lancet study’s findings, HealthSnap’s evidence of SBP reduction by over 15 mmHg is particularly promising. The Lancet meta-analysis demonstrated that a 5 mmHg reduction in SBP could decrease major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) by 10%. Using this benchmark, the 15.06 mmHg reduction observed in HealthSnap patients equates to a ~30% decrease in the likelihood of developing major cardiovascular events, underscoring the critical impact of RPM programs.

If we estimate that approximately 10% of hypertensive patients experience a MACE annually, then about 1,022 patients (10% of 10,224) in the HealthSnap population might have been at risk for such events each year. Applying the 30% risk reduction observed through the RPM program, around 307 major cardiovascular events could potentially be avoided annually across this entire cohort.

This calculation underscores the tremendous impact that consistent engagement in RPM programs can have on real-world health outcomes. By actively managing conditions like hypertension—and achieving meaningful reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure—RPM empowers patients to lower their risk of life-altering events like heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.

Furthermore, this analysis reaffirms the importance of scaling RPM initiatives to reach a broader patient base. With hypertensive patients nationwide facing an elevated risk of cardiovascular complications, expanding access to programs like HealthSnap could reduce the burden of heart disease on both individuals and the healthcare system. A potential reduction of over 300 events annually in just this patient population serves as powerful evidence of RPM’s potential to save lives and improve overall health outcomes.

Additionally, reducing diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by 8.6 mmHg further compounds the potential health benefits, as DBP reductions also correlate with decreased mortality and cardiovascular risk in several studies. Achieving such improvements dramatically alters long-term outcomes for hypertensive patients, especially those at elevated risk for stroke or heart attack.

The Broader Impact on Life Expectancy

Hypertension is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular complications and premature death worldwide. The substantial improvements seen through HealthSnap’s RPM platform could translate into significantly fewer hospitalizations, medical interventions, and reduced mortality. For example:

• Patients who consistently maintain healthy blood pressure levels are at a lower risk for stroke, a condition that shortens life expectancy and diminishes quality of life.
• A reduction in cardiovascular events could also reduce the healthcare costs associated with managing chronic diseases, benefiting both patients and the healthcare system as a whole.

The Lancet meta-analysis also offers an optimistic outlook for secondary prevention. Even in patients with prior cardiovascular disease, sustained blood pressure improvements remain an effective strategy for reducing future events, reinforcing the importance of programs like RPM in long-term health management. Given that the average program duration for these over 10,000 patients was 367 days, there’s evidence that patients are willing to make the regular measurement of remote health data part of their lifestyle.

Why Consistency Matters in Remote Monitoring

Remote monitoring bridges the gap between clinic visits, creating an opportunity for doctors and patients to catch issues early and make real-time adjustments. It also allows for longitudinal tracking of changes in blood pressure and day-to-day fluctuations. We see many patients with controlled blood pressure in the office, but with measurements that are actually uncontrolled at home, in ambulatory environments—sort of the reverse of white coat syndrome. This makes the use of RPM even more obvious, and it should be the standard of care. When you look at the data, the standard of care notion should be unequivocal. In this large dataset of over 10,000 patients with uncontrolled blood pressure (≥140 or ≥90), the sustained engagement, as exemplified by HealthSnap’s high data transmission rate (74.31%), is essential for achieving meaningful progress and ensuring long-term benefits are realized.

HealthSnap patients transmitting at least 50% of their data saw better outcomes due to the actionable insights provided by regular health monitoring and communication with their care teams. This level of care represents a shift toward proactive, evidence-based interventions rather than reactive, event-driven care. Patients have also noted the importance of understanding how their blood pressure fluctuates with behavior. We refer to this as the meta-cognitive element, which is crucial for building self-efficacy. This, along with the patient-centered approach of the clinical staff, helps patients stay focused on their care plan.

Prevention Through Technology

The evidence is clear. RPM programs like HealthSnap’s, which focus on encouraging consistent blood pressure monitoring and behavioral adjustments, can have a profound impact on patient health. The integration of technology and personalized care helps patients take control of their health while potentially reducing their risk of major cardiovascular events by up to 30%, based on findings from The Lancet study.

With this 30% reduction in risk, the potential to prevent hundreds of major cardiovascular events annually in the HealthSnap RPM cohort is profound. These estimates highlight how investing in consistent remote monitoring and intervention can transform patient outcomes.

If you’re considering introducing RPM into your healthcare practice or looking for ways to improve your own health metrics, programs that focus on regular monitoring and management of conditions like hypertension are now firmly rooted in science-backed benefits. With results like these, RPM could be a key tool in both preventing cardiovascular disease and improving outcomes for those already diagnosed.