Can Your Phone Help You Lower Your Blood Pressure?
A new study found that a mobile health app could help people with hypertension better manage their blood pressure—particularly women in perimenopause and menopause.
The study, just published in the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology, looked at sex- and age-related changes in blood pressure among participants using the app-based program. The researchers found that women in menopause lowered their blood pressure as much as pre-menopausal women, even though they began the study with higher blood pressure readings. And among study participants with very high blood pressure (greater than 140 mmHg), reductions were sustained over 12 months. What’s more, women in this high-risk group saw greater improvements than men with similar profiles.
The Sunday Paper asked lead researcher and cardiologist Jayne Morgan, MD, for more insights about the study’s findings and what the results could mean for all of us.
A CONVERSATION WITH JAYNE MORGAN, MD
1. What prompted you to do this research?
We’ve known for years that menopause is a crucial turning point for women’s heart health, yet it’s often overlooked in standard care. Our goal was to better understand how digital tools can empower women during this important phase of life.
With Hello Heart, we saw an opportunity to deliver meaningful support and help women take proactive control of their cardiovascular health. Portable digital health technology that women can use at home, or on the go, is also key to scaling preventive heart health efforts to such a large population.
Women's heart health is a personal passion of mine, of our CEO and co-founder, Maayan Cohen, and so many other people on the Hello Heart team. We are very active in the women's heart health advocacy community. We collaborate on solutions together in-person every year at Hello Heart's Women's Heart Health Summit. We were delighted to have nationally renowned cardiologists and researchers like Dr. Erin Michos of Johns Hopkins, Dr. Martha Gulati of Cedars-Sinai, and Dr. Elizabeth Ofili of Morehouse School of Medicine join us in conducting this research, which is among the largest-ever studies conducted on digital health's impact on women's heart health.
2. How can your findings inform women’s heart health care, particularly after menopause?
While Hello Heart is very effective for both men and women, we found that women—especially those in perimenopause and postmenopause—experienced even more significant and sustained drops in blood pressure while using Hello Heart. In addition, postmenopausal women achieved reductions on par with their premenopausal peers, even though they started with higher blood pressure. These improvements held steady over time and were even more pronounced among women at the highest risk (that is, in hypertension stage II with systolic blood pressure at or above 140 mmHg).
That’s a big deal, because the risk for heart disease (which includes heart attacks, strokes, and other serious events) climbs sharply during and after menopause.
Heart disease is still the number one killer of women, but many of these deaths are preventable if you catch risk in time.This research shows we can intervene early and effectively, and that tailored digital support works. That support can come in many forms—whether it's empowering women to know their numbers and get the preventive care they need, helping them stay on track with their blood pressure and cholesterol medications, or simply providing insights into how they can incorporate more movement and nutritious food into their daily routine.
3. Are there any action steps readers can take now if they’re in menopause and concerned about their heart health?
Start small, but start now. Know your numbers, especially your blood pressure and cholesterol. Track your blood pressure regularly, and talk with your doctor about what’s right for you. We’ve found that even simple steps—like using a bit less salt when you cook, taking your medications consistently, or walking a little more each day—can add up to real, lasting impact.
Finally, it's important to not think of menopause as a time of decline. It’s a window of opportunity and a time to take action. Tools like Hello Heart offer gender-specific tracking tools, educational content tailored to menopause, and proactive, personalized coaching to help women stay on top of their heart health before, during, and after menopause.
Half the population will go through menopause, so this is not a niche health issue. It’s a very common life transition that deserves better support, and we now have the tools to provide it.
Dr. Jayne Morgan is a cardiologist and health equity advocate, currently serving as VP of Medical Affairs at Hello Heart. She’s known for her work on the MitraClip device and for creating The Stairwell Chronicles video series. Dr. Morgan is also an adjunct associate professor at Morehouse School of Medicine.
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