Amgen pilots app for heart attack victims

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – Amgen Canada Inc. has partnered with patients and healthcare professionals to launch the global pilot of My HeartPath in Canada. My HeartPath is a heart health app which supports and empowers patients during their heart attack recovery.

My HeartPath is said to be the first of its kind in Canada for heart attack survivors. It provides practical advice, educational resources and support for patients who have suffered devastating heart attacks.

Working with patients and healthcare providers allowed Amgen Canada to understand patient needs during their heart attack recovery and the problems that My HeartPath needed to solve.

Dr. Beth Abramson (pictured), director of the Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre at St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, was a central part of the design team. Dr. Abramsom said enabling the providers of care to give insight into how the patients go through their recovery process was invaluable.

“I’m truly hopeful My HeartPath will improve care as we integrate modern technology into the healing and secondary prevention path for our patients, addressing factors like wellness, risk factor modification to improve care,” said Dr. Abramson.

My HeartPath addresses common issues during heart attack recovery, such as intangible goals and a lack of meaningful information.

Patricia van den Ende, a heart attack survivor who was also involved in the development of the app, says that life after a heart attack can be complicated. “It’s a long journey and there’s a lot of things that you need to do try to prevent a second heart attack. My HeartPath helps to make it easy for survivors and provides information and motivation that you need, when you need it.”

My HeartPath provides an overview of not only short-term goals but also the bigger picture – what patients are working toward in three months, six months or a year.

It also allows patients to optimize their visits with doctors – this includes reminders, medication prompts and an LDL tracker. Lastly, it enables clear goal setting to encourage healthy habits in the short and long term.

“My HeartPath is designed for patients by patients, healthcare providers and Amgen Canada. At Amgen Canada our mission is to serve patients, and we’re proud to bring the global pilot of My HeartPath to Canadians, supporting them and empowering them during their recovery journey,” said Dr. Suna Avcil, executive medical director at Amgen Canada.

“This heart health app will offer patients who have suffered a heart attack more support during their recovery journey. It will benefit thousands of patients who have ASCVD or other forms of cardiovascular disease, empowering them to take control of their own recovery after a heart attack,” said Dr. Abramsom.

My HeartPath can be downloaded on the App Store or on Google Play.

To learn more about My HeartPath visit MyHeartPathApp.ca.

About Amgen Canada
As a leader in innovation, Amgen Canada understands the value of science. With main operations located in Mississauga, ON’s vibrant biomedical cluster, and its research facility in Burnaby, B.C., Amgen Canada has been an important contributor to advancements in science and innovation in Canada since 1991. The company contributes to the development of new therapies and new uses for existing medicines in partnership with many of Canada’s leading healthcare, academic, research, government and patient organizations. To learn more about Amgen Canada, visit www.amgen.ca and follow us on www.twitter.com/amgencanadagm.