Greece Drives Breakthrough in Heart Failure Telemonitoring

Remote monitoring can improve mortality, morbidity, and quality of life by more than 20 percent for patients with advanced heart failure, according to Professor Gerasimos Filippatos, an internationally recognised cardiologist at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and director of the Second University Cardiology Clinic at Attikon Hospital.

Speaking to FM Agency and journalist Tania Mantouvalou, Professor Filippatos highlighted Greece’s leading role in the multicentre European clinical study RETENTION, which examines the impact of telemonitoring on heart failure patients.

The RETENTION study operates under a European programme of the same name and follows 390 patients across six major centres in Italy, Spain, Germany, and Greece. Nearly half of the participants come from Greece, with patients enrolled at the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center and Attikon Hospital, placing the country at the heart of the research effort.

Researchers divide patients into three groups: those with chronic heart failure, those with advanced heart failure receiving mechanical circulatory support, and heart transplant recipients. Professor Filippatos stressed that the greatest improvement appears in quality of life, particularly among patients who have already undergone advanced treatment or transplantation.

AI models predict patient deterioration

The study aims to reduce hospital admissions and mortality while improving patients’ daily lives. Doctors monitor participants remotely using smartwatches and smartphones, while specialists in biotechnology and computer science support the programme.

Researchers upload health indicators such as heart rate, blood pressure, weight, dietary habits, and sleep quality to the RETENTION digital platform, along with environmental data and follow-up visit information. Analysts then use this data to develop artificial intelligence models capable of predicting patient deterioration at an early stage.

Patients report greater sense of safety

Professor Filippatos noted that Greece’s large patient cohort allows doctors to apply the study’s conclusions more easily once the programme concludes, given that health system structure and centre expertise play a critical role in telemonitoring success.

Researchers enrolled patients between May 2024 and November 2025 and expect the first results by the end of 2026. Each patient remains under observation for approximately 18 months.

Although the study remains ongoing, early observations show that patients feel a greater sense of safety through telemonitoring. Despite an average age exceeding 70, participants respond well to new technologies, either independently or with the assistance of caregivers.

Prospects for implementation in Greece

Professor Filippatos said several European health systems already pilot similar initiatives, while Greek centres currently apply telemonitoring on a limited basis. He explained that Greece’s network of heart failure clinics, established in 2017, could organise nationwide implementation.

Greece currently operates more than 60 heart failure clinics, most within the public health system. With state support, the country could implement remote monitoring for heart failure patients within the next three years.

He clarified that heart failure clinics follow specific monitoring protocols and employ cardiologists trained in advanced heart failure management. While all cardiologists possess significant experience due to the prevalence of the condition among older patients, advanced cases often require specialised therapeutic interventions and close follow-up through dedicated heart failure clinics.