Health Apps Have Promise But Also Pose Risks, Experts Say.

Public health experts hope that convenient medical apps encourage people to pay more attention to their health. See the most-read stories this hour >> Dr. Leslie Saxon, cardiologist and executive director of the USC Center for Body Computing, said there's "unbelievable potential" for these new technologies to save lives. Doctors can now continuously monitor heart rhythm data and watch for problems in patients with implanted heart devices. They can immediately determine whether someone is having a heart attack by turning their smartphone into an electrocardiogram, or EKG, machine, Saxon said. But some doctors express concern about people increasingly reaching for their electronic devices for medical guidance, even if the technology is considered low-risk. They point, for example, to apps for diabetics that don't prompt them to call 911 when their sugar levels are dangerously low — low enough to send them into a diabetic coma. Worse, the app instead awards patients points for entering the data. "It's like having a really bad doctor," said the University of Michigan's Singh. An app intended for people with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder asks them to log their moods, such as "worried" or "irritable." But when users report feeling unsafe or suicidal, the app doesn't recommend calling a suicide hotline or seeking immediate attention, he said. http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-me-mobile-health-safety-20160412-story.html