Big data analytics to improve cardiovascular care: promise and challenges

The availability of big data analytical tools for use in cardiovascular practice and research will grow rapidlyBig data analytical applications, such as predictive models for patient risk and resource use, have great potential to improve cardiovascular quality of care and patient outcomesBig data analytical tools in cardiovascular care are still at a nascent stage of development and evaluation, and evidence showing they improve quality of care and patient outcomes is lackingEstablishing the 'evidence base' for big data applications in relation to cardiovascular quality and outcomes of care is critical; big data analytical tools should be evaluated as health-care delivery interventionsBig data methods are tolerant of poor quality of underlying data; however, big data tools might be more valid and clinically useful in cardiovascular care when based on higher quality dataSubstantial attention and resources will be required to integrate big data analytical applications optimally into cardiovascular practice, and to monitor their effect on care and outcomes