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Introduction and Objectives: Digital health (DH) is a broad concept, bringing together technology and healthcare, that is playing an increasingly important role in the daily routine of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and promises to contribute to the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. There are no solid data on the position of Portuguese HCPs toward the implementation of DH in cardiovascular medicine. This national cross-sectional study aims to provide a snapshot of DH implementation in Portuguese cardiovascular HCP routines and to identify both expectations and barriers to its adoption. Methods: An 18-question survey was created specifically for this study and distributed to 1174 individuals on the Portuguese Society of Cardiology mailing list. Results: We collected 117 valid responses (response rate 10%). Almost all participants had smartphones and laptops, and two-thirds had tablets. Electronic medical information systems were the most used DH tool (84% of respondents) and were considered the most important for improving cardiovascular care. Implantable technologies (sensors and devices), telemedicine and social media were used by more than two out of three respondents and considered «very important» or «extremely important» by most of them. Most participants showed positive expectations regarding the impact of DH in cardiovascular medicine: 78% agreed that DH could improve health outcomes, 64% that it promotes health literacy and 63% that it could decrease healthcare costs. The top-rated barriers were patients’ inability to use smartphones, limited access to electronic devices, and lack of legal regulation of DH. Conclusion: Most Portuguese cardiovascular HCPs had at least three electronic devices (mainly smartphones, laptops and tablets) and showed positive expectations regarding DH's current and future impact on cardiovascular medicine. Patient DH literacy, technology adoption, and DH regulation were identified as the most important barriers to increasing the adoption of DH tools in cardiovascular medicine. Resumo: Introdução e objetivos: A saúde digital é um conceito amplo, que junta a tecnologia aos cuidados de saúde, desempenhando um papel cada vez mais importante na prática clínica diária dos profissionais de saúde e promissor na prevenção e tratamento de doenças cardiovasculares. Não existem dados consistentes que avaliem a posição dos profissionais de saúde portugueses em relação à implementação da saúde digital na medicina cardiovascular. Por conseguinte, este estudo visa compreender o panorama geral da implementação da saúde digital na rotina diária dos profissionais de saúde cardiovascular em Portugal e identificar tanto as expectativas como os obstáculos à sua adoção. Métodos: Um inquérito de 18 perguntas foi construído para as necessidades específicas deste estudo e distribuído a 1174 potenciais respondedores da mailing list da Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Resultados: Foram obtidas 117 respostas válidas (taxa de resposta ao inquérito de 10%). Quase todos os respondedores tinham um smartphone e um computador portátil e dois terços tinham um tablet. Os sistemas eletrónicos de informação médica foram a ferramenta mais utilizada (84% dos inquiridos) e considerada a mais relevante para melhorar os cuidados de saúde cardiovasculares. Mais de dois terços dos inquiridos relataram utilizar tecnologias implantáveis (sensores ou dispositivos), telemedicina e as redes sociais e todas estas ferramentas foram consideradas «muito relevantes» ou «totalmente relevantes» pela maioria. A maior parte dos respondedores demonstrou expectativas positivas relativamente ao impacto da saúde digital na medicina cardiovascular: 78% concordaram que esta pode melhorar os outcomes em saúde, 64% que promove a literacia em saúde e 63% que pode diminuir os custos dos cuidados de saúde. A incapacidade dos pacientes de utilizar smartphones, o acesso limitado a dispositivos eletrónicos e a falta de regulamentação legal da saúde digital foram as barreiras mais cotadas. Conclusão: Globalmente, a maioria dos profissionais de saúde cardiovascular em Portugal tinha pelo menos três dispositivos eletrónicos (principalmente smartphones, computadores portáteis e tablet) e mostrou expectativas positivas relativamente ao impacto atual e futuro da saúde digital na medicina cardiovascular. A literacia e a adoção de tecnologia relacionada com a saúde digital pelos pacientes, bem como a falta de regulamentação jurídica, foram identificados como os obstáculos mais importantes para aumentar a adoção de ferramentas de saúde digital na medicina cardiovascular.

Use of digital flashcards promotes active recall, spaced repetition, and self-assessment academic principles. This work explores the association and dose-dependent effect of this study method and locomotor (LP) and cardiovascular physiology (CP) grades. A single-faculty cohort study of medical LP and CP students was conducted, and 155 and 676 flashcards, respectively, were created through Moodle. An exploratory analysis examined three exam results (2019), and a confirmatory study used a fourth exam (2021) in another CP cohort. Of 685 students enrolled, 558 participated in the exploratory analysis: 319 (69%) for LP and 311 (84%) for CP, of which 203 LP and 267 CP students were flashcard users. Median grades were higher among flashcard users, and the number of cards reviewed was positively correlated with grades (r = 0.275 to 0.388 for LP and r = 0.239 to 0.432 for CP, P < 0.001). Multiple linear regression models confirmed a positive dose-dependent association between results and the number of flashcards studied: for every 100 LP cards reviewed, exam grades increased 0.44-0.75 on a 0-20 scale range (P < 0.001), and for every 1,000 CP flashcards, results raised 0.81-1.08 values (P < 0.05). These findings were confirmed in the 2021 CP cohort of 269 participants, of whom 67% were flashcard users. Digital flashcard revision has a consistent positive dose-dependent association on LP and CP grades.