Text Messages Are Effective for Promoting Behavioral Changes That Affect Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) usually are urged to modify their behavior to lower risk for adverse cardiovascular events, but results are modest at best. In a continuing quest to improve the cost-effectiveness of lifestyle modification strategies, Australian investigators assessed the value of mobile phone text messaging. A total of 710 patients (mean age, 57; 82% men) with known CHD (documented myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass surgery, percutaneous coronary intervention, or ≥50% stenosis of ≥1 major coronary artery) were randomized to receive usual cardiac-rehabilitation care plus mobile phone text messages or usual care alone.

Intervention patients received four text messages weekly for 6 months; text messages wer…