New app to keep digital and physical hearts pumping

Cardiac researchers from the University of Sydney have created a new game to prevent heart attacks among people who have suffered a cardiac event as a key part of cardiac rehabilitation.

With heart disease being one of Australia’s most prevalent health problems and affecting almost one and a half million people per year, the MyHeartMate hopes to encourage users to lead healthier lifestyles and help tackle this issue.

Following in the footsteps of the 90s Tamagotchi craze, players adopt their own digital heart and are responsible for ensuring its constant care. To keep their digital heart beating, users must complete goals and undertake real world challenges. The more challenges completed, the more players progress through levels and increase the health of their heart, both digitally and physically.

The company says the app is targeted at people who are secondary prevention patients, providing them with the motivation and resources needed to change behaviours, such as increasing exercise, giving up smoking and improving diets.

MyHeartMate was designed for easy access, allowing rural patients and full time workers to be able to use it with a healthcare professional or independently. The game also allows for challenges to be set and updated and tracks & records a user’s progress.

The game can be downloaded from the App Store on smartphones and tablets and is free of charge.

To find out more, visit the website HERE