The byzantine role of Big Data Analytics in cardiovascular care: a mixed-method integrative review.

Big Data Analytics (BDA) represents the process of examining large and varied collection of data to uncover hidden patterns, unknown correlations or trends. Appropriate use of BDA in cardiovascular care has a potential impact in its application on multiple stages of research, health management and risk prediction. So far, no comprehensive synthesis of evidence is available in the field of cardiovascular care. For this reason, the aim of this study was to conduct an integrative review and to synthesise the main evidence related to the usage of BDA in cardiovascular care. A revised framework for mixed-method integrative reviews of the literature guided the analysis. The initial search identified 413 papers. They were selected in a three-blinded review process, divided in four stages based on: titles screening (n = 86), removal due to duplicates (n = 35), quality appraisal (n = 19) relevancy of the abstract and full-text (n = 12). Eight articles were selected, critically evaluated and synthesised in order to allow the synthesis and the comparison process. To date, the literature does not provide definitive evidence that Big Data Analytics will translate into higher quality of healthcare. Furthermore, the small number of studies analysed in this review limits the conclusions that can be drawn. BDA in cardiovascular care have the considerable potential to improve both individual and collective health, even if at a prodromal stage and in such byzantine nuances.