Telehealth and the diagnosis and management of cardiac disease

The financial and personal burden of chronic cardiac disease is high. Costs are likely to increase over the next few decades. Promising applications o f telehealth have appeared in the diagnosis and management of cardiac disea se and there are indications that telehealth services can improve the manag ement of chronic cardiac disease as well as extend services to remote and r ural populations. Telehealth has been applied to the capture of symptoms of cardiac disease with electrocardiography and echocardiography, to the mana gement and rehabilitation of recently discharged patients, and in peer-to-p eer consultation where remote expertise can facilitate diagnosis. Telehealt h promises cost reductions in service delivery, although there is a need fo r properly controlled cost-effectiveness trials to underpin telehealth with a firm evidence base.