A research group from Keio University School of Medicine, the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Gifu University Hospital, and Grace Imaging conducted an exploratory physician-initiated clinical trial (multi-center randomized controlled trial) of a future-oriented exercise support and education program (SaMD) for outpatient heart failure patients, and confirmed its effectiveness and safety.
This clinical trial was conducted at three facilities, including Keio University Hospital, with the support of the Keio University Hospital Clinical Research Promotion Center.
Heart failure is considered a condition in which the heart’s function has deteriorated and it is no longer able to pump enough blood to the body, and the number of patients is increasing year by year due to the aging population. In response to heart failure, in addition to appropriate drug therapy, it is considered important to perform cardiac rehabilitation aimed at improving lifestyle habits such as exercise and diet. However, due to resistance from patients and limitations in medical treatment, currently less than 10% of heart failure patients receive exercise therapy in outpatient settings.
The research group developed an “exercise support app” that supports exercise for heart failure patients and provides education about heart failure. Patients wear a Fitbit smartwatch at all times, and the “exercise support app” continuously collects information on the patient’s exercise status, such as the number of steps taken and pulse rate, and combines this with questionnaire information on weight and quality of life to support health management by incorporating the most appropriate exercise for each patient.

※Translating Japanese articles into English with AI