When it comes to diseases, most people are concerned about heart disease and cancer. Because of this concern, fundraisers are held and donations made to help researchers find cures. While some people do donate to heart disease research, in years past the majority of money was being raised for cancer research.
It is admirable that people have a strong desire to raise awareness about cancer and try to find a cure, but cardiovascular research is very necessary, too. In fact, according to UCSF, heart disease claims more lives than all cancers combined. It is obvious that more research needs to be done in order to stop heart disease from claiming the lives of so many people. And, thankfully, there are some big donations being made to collect big data in cardiovascular research.
How Big Data Is Acquired By Researchers
The Framingham Heart Study of 1948 was the first landmark study done in the field of cardiology. The research done on 5000 participants determined that smoking, family history and high levels of cholesterol all contribute to heart disease.
In 2003, UCSF started the eHeart Study, which utilizes technology to help gather, record and analyze vital data. That same year, The National Institutes of Health donated $2 million to Geisinger Health System, IBM, and Sutter Health so that they could create technology that would help with early detection. And, as recently as October 5, 2016, Dr. Calum MacRae, the chief of cardiovascular medicine at the Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston, was the recipient of $75 millionto be paid over five yearsto focus on finding out how heart disease starts so he can determine the best way to prevent it.
How do the researchers and physicians gather their big data? In the 2003 UCSF study, participants could use health apps to record data, like EKG, blood pressure and heart rate readings. Apps for this study also analyzed the participants diets and exercise programs, body composition, and even their behavioral health.
4 Questions Cardiology Researchers Hope to Answer with Big Data
There are four questions that all researchers hope to answer by the time they finish their big data experiments.
1. What causes heart disease?
If researchers are able to answer this question, they are one step closer to preventing heart disease altogether.
2. How can patients work with physicians?
The old saying it takes two to tango is fitting for the doctor-patient relationship. It takes effort by both parties to create, implement and follow through with a plan that will help prevent and/or treat heart disease.
3. What technological advances are there to diagnose heart disease?
It is also helpful to find new ways of diagnosing heart disease in earlier stages. Smartphone apps can now transmit a patients data directly to a physician, who can analyze it and come up with a diagnosis and treatment (or prevention) plan.
4. How can we successfully treat heart disease?
As time goes on, advances will be made to procure better medicines with fewer side effects and develop even less invasive surgical methods.
The Ultimate Goal of Big Data: Reduce the Number of Deaths from Heart Disease
At the very least, heart disease has a profound effect on a patients daily life; at the most, its a killer. Physicians and researchers cant be satisfied with current treatments, or by simply making sure their BLS renewal and continuing education in the current, limited methods of treatment are in order. Why? Because the goal is to save lives and that means researchers will always be looking for a better way to prevent, diagnose or treat cardiovascular disease.
