The app also directs the person with high risk with appropriate medication and is currently available for Android and iPhone users. MyGeneRank calculates a person’s polygenic risk score for CAD from pre-existing 23andMe data. After taking all health surveys, the person is informed with a CAD genetic risk score. Along with this, he is also given genetic counselling and is advised with lifestyle modifications. Devan Muse, first author of the study said that they now have the opportunity to integrate a person’s genetics into his cardiovascular health assessment. This will help him to understand in a better way about his individualised risk and empower it to make the modifications that are required.
Testing the efficacy of the app
Researchers gathered the information from around 721 people who were using this app to examine the efficacy of the app. The results showed that people who didn’t take lipid-lowering medication before using the app started doing so after they received their genetic risk score. Senior author of the study Ali Torakamani stated if an individual discovers that he has low genetic risk for coronary artery disease but has high risk overall due to non-genetic factors, he must consider changing his lifestyle.
Smartphone apps are popular in healthcare
This is not for the first time that a smartphone app has been developed to detect a disease. Recently, an app known as eKidneycare was developed for the people with chronic kidney disease. Another such app was mHealthapp that was made for self-administered screenings. A person can access while sitting at home and detect if he is at risk for depression, intimate partner violence, or an injurious fall. Even back in 2020, an app was introduced that used artificial intelligence to identify the people with high risk for COVID-19. This was said to be a useful app.
