Heart patients that use mobile apps and wearable devices to monitor their condition say doing so helps them do a better job caring for themselves. But those heart patients also are in the minority when it comes to using the mobile web to stay healthy, according to a new survey from medical research firm HealthMine Inc.

In the survey of 501 heart patients, 74% of patients think using mobile apps, wearables and other mobile health tools to help them cope with and manage their conditions is a good idea. Yet only 27% of heart patients are using the mobile web in any capacity to help with wellness management, says HealthMine. “Millions of wearable fitness tracking devices will be incorporated into wellness programs over the next few years,” says HealthMine CEO Bryce Williams. “But they need to tie into a larger, clinically based strategy to help consumers know where they stand with their health, what they need to do and stay motivated to do it.”

Of the patients that are using a mobile app and wearables, 50% are using the mobile web to track fitness levels compared with 48% that are using apps to monitor blood pressure. 47% use mobile to monitor heart rate and 38% for food and nutrition management. Heart patients that aren’t using the mobile web say ease of use and an unfamiliarity with apps are among the main reasons for not taking advantage of the mobile resources. The survey found that 36% of heart patients list more traditional doctor visits or using the phone to communicate with providers as their main reason for not using apps compared with 34% that say they aren’t sure which wearable to use, 34% unsure of the best app to use, 20% that don’t own a mobile device and 15% that find using any mobile tools too confusing.

About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Every year about 735,000 Americans have a heart attack, 525,000 happen for the first time while 210,000 are repeat incidents, the CDC says.

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