title: Contemporary vascular smartphone medical applications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Use of smartphones and medical mHealth applications (apps) within the clinical environment provides a potential means for delivering elements of vascular care. This article reviews the contemporary availability of apps specifically themed to major vascular diseases and the opportunities and concerns regarding their integration into practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Smartphone apps relating to major vascular diseases were identified from the app stores for the 6 most popular smartphone platforms, including iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows, and Samsung. Search terms included peripheral artery (arterial) disease, varicose veins, aortic aneurysm, carotid artery disease, amputation, ulcers, hyperhydrosis, thoracic outlet syndrome, vascular malformation, and lymphatic disorders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-nine vascular-themed apps were identified. Sixteen (33%) were free of charge. Fifteen apps (31%) had customer satisfaction ratings, but only 3 (6%) had greater than 100. Only 13 apps (27%) had documented medical professional involvement in their design or content.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The integration of apps into the delivery of care has the potential to benefit vascular health care workers and patients. However, high-quality apps designed by clinicians with vascular expertise are currently lacking and represent an area of concern in the mHealth market. Improvement in the quality and reliability of these apps will require the development of robust regulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Surgery, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Little France, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. carter.tom@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.forename: Richard R W
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Brady
mesh_terms: D040421:Cell Phone; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012984:Software / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D012985:Software Design