Abstract

Hypertension remains a leading cause of cardiovascular disease and death in the United States. Despite the efficacy of treatments, a significant number of patients have poor control of blood pressure (BP) due to a lack of adherence, lack of self-monitoring, and limited accessibility of sustained-care services. Mobile health (mHealth) applications have shown potential interventions for helping with control of hypertension through reminders for medications, tracking of BP, educational instructions, and connectivity with providers. This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy of mobile health applications to improve the control of BP in U.S.-based samples from 2017 to 2022. In line with guidelines of the PRISMA, relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analysis were derived from PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. Key outcomes to be tested include a lowering of systolic and diastolic BP, adherence to medicines, and behavioral modifications. Results consistently establish a decline of BP (typically 5–10 mmHg for systolic BP) by app users, marked improvements in adherence and patient engagement. Nevertheless, gaps still persist due to digital literacy level, mixed reimbursement policies, and concerns of privacy. Integration of mHealth devices with daily practice and public health interventions for promotion of control of hypertension in the United States remains endorsed. Recommendations include support for healthcare policies, work with clinical teams, digital health education, app certification and quality control and funding research. Future studies must incorporate a time frame for 10-year follow-up, equal accessibility, and policy formulation.