Telehealth in the management of CVD: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain a major challenge as it remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the key role of telehealth in healthcare. A recently published Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) discuss the potential effects of telehealth tools in CVD management, reviews implementation strategies and obstacles to telehealth adoption. Telehealth tools can support risk factor monitoring, medication adherence, and symptom monitoring. However, as stated by Takahashi et al. in this AHA scientific statement there are potential obstacles that hinder the implementation in daily practice. Infrastructure, legal and regulatory issues, and lack of reimbursement are among the key obstacles discussed. Thus, the authors suggest strategies to overcome these obstacles and accelerate telehealth implementation. As the AHA scientific statement concludes further research is needed to address all the possible barriers and ensure high Quality Care for all patients.