American Heart Month: Managing hypertension remotely for safer, more confident care
February is American Heart Month. In the U.S., cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death across the country, but trends show this disease can be especially challenging for people living in rural areas.
Teladoc Health believes virtual care can play a big role in improving the health of people living in rural areas. Here are two stories of how Teladoc Health helps people achieve better heart health through the power of virtual care.
Chantelle lives in Hardin, Kentucky, a rural area where the nearest hospital is more than an hour away. For her, that distance carries serious implications. Chantelle lives with portal hypertension and cirrhosis, and is a liver transplant patient, conditions that make blood pressure control critical.
“I live an hour from everything, and having equipment mailed to me with regular email updates makes a huge difference,” she said.
Chantelle’s primary care provider connected her to Teladoc Health so she could monitor her blood pressure from home. Her care provider looks for external resources to support rural patients—ensuring access doesn’t end at the clinic door.
Through the program, a connected blood pressure monitor was mailed to Chantelle’s home at no cost to her. She began tracking her readings daily without needing to travel or keeping manual logs. She also receives weekly reports that can be shared directly with her doctor.
Teladoc Health continues to make enhancements to better support people, specifically addressing barriers for people in rural areas. New capabilities include larger blood pressure cuffs, a next-generation monitor with expanded carrier support and alert response specialists providing live support for people with out-of-range readings.
“Being able to check my blood pressure at home is lifesaving,” Chantelle said. “I feel completely supported. Having this device is a safety net. There’s a difference between feeling healthy and feeling safe—and this program gives me that safety.”
For Dan, a 74-year-old former firefighter who lives in Alaska, enrolling in Teladoc Health felt like a natural extension of how he already approached his health.
“I like to monitor my health and be responsible for myself,” he said.
He developed a consistent daily routine measuring his weight and blood pressure every morning. That consistency became critical one weekend when Dan was working on a home remodeling project. He felt tired but had no warning signs of a heart issue.
The next morning, his blood pressure reading told a different story. His readings showed dangerously narrow blood pressure and an elevated pulse—signals he recognized because he knew his baseline so well. Trusting the data, Dan contacted his doctor, which led to a hospital visit, cardiology care and, ultimately, a life-saving intervention.
That little machine told me I was in trouble. It saved my life."
Dan, Teladoc Health member
Dan’s experience highlights a critical reality of hypertension and heart health: Serious events don’t always come with clear symptoms. Without effective management, hypertension can lead to more serious health issues, such as heart attack or stroke.
Teladoc Health provides people with the tools to feel confident about their ability to manage their health. One plan sponsor with a large rural population saw its members reduce their systolic blood pressure by an average of nearly 10 mmHg—an amount associated with a 20% reduction in major cardiovascular disease.
For members like Chantelle and Dan, Teladoc Health offers more than convenience. It provides continuity, insight, and peace of mind—bridging gaps created by geography, mobility, and access.
Whether it’s helping someone feel safe in the middle of nowhere or providing someone with the tools to manage their health at home, hypertension support plays a powerful role in protecting heart health—no matter the distance.
