Mobile health and apps news in brief

April’s mobile health and apps round-up features news that the personal details of around 150 million MyFitnessPal users have been compromised, plus a Finnish university claiming it has developed an app that can help users monitor their risk of having a stroke.

150 million MyFitnessPal accounts exposed

The personal details of about 150 million users of the MyFitnessPal app have reportedly been compromised.

US sportswear brand Under Armour, which owns the app, said usernames, email addresses and scrambled passwords were among the stolen data, according to the Guardian.

However, the company claimed card payment details had not been affected and said its investigation into the matter is ‘ongoing’.

MyFitnessPal allows customers to monitor their calorie intake and measure it against the amount of exercise they perform, using a database of more than two million foods.

Now Healthcare Group appoints finance director as it expands digital health apps

Now Healthcare Group (NHG) has appointed Mark Siney as finance director as the digital health company expands.

The company launched its free app Now Patient in October 2017, which has so far been downloaded 25,000 times.

It was created to support over 15 million people in the UK living with chronic conditions, enabling them to access GP consultations and manage their medication needs, including ordering repeat prescriptions via mobile, which are dispensed and dispatched from its NHS-approved pharmacy.

Lee Dentith, CEO and founder of NHG, said: “Mark has joined us at an opportune time and will play a pivotal role in the financial journey of the business, especially as we explore options around our next stage of investment.”

Comper Healthcare launches app-based fertility thermometer

Comper Healthcare has developed a fertility thermometer that allows women to track their body temperature on their smartphone.

The Comper Smart Fertility Tracker is held under the tongue and claims to gives a reading that is accurate up to two decimal places.

Measurements taken from the device are relayed to the app, tracking changes and pinpointing the ideal time for conception in a woman’s cycle.

The device also purports to be capable of cleaning and sterilising itself.

Smartphone app might offer new way to measure blood flow

A small study has suggested that an experimental smartphone app could be an effective alternative to a traditional method of assessing circulation in people who need surgery to restore normal blood flow to the heart.

Traditionally, surgeons use a test that involves blocking circulation to the hand until it turns white, then easing pressure on one of two main arteries to see if the hand turns pink again, to determine whether an artery is healthy enough for the procedure.

However, Reuters Health reports that an experimental circulation measurement app that uses a smartphone camera to monitor changes in colour in the fingertips is being assessed for use.

With the app, doctors correctly diagnosed artery health 92% of the time, compared with an 82% success rate using traditional methods.

Finnish mobile app claims it can detect stroke risk

A smartphone app developed at a Finnish university claims it can help users monitor their risk of having a stroke.

A team from the University of Turku developed the app, which uses an algorithm to diagnose atrial fibrillation.

The technology achieved 96% accuracy in tests, the team reported in the Circulation journal.

“If everyone can measure with an ordinary smart phone whether they have atrial fibrillation, we have the possibility to direct patients straight to the doctor and further testing without any delay. Therefore, the potential for economic savings is significant,” Professor Juhani Airaksinen, professor of cardiology at Turku University Hospital, said.