So-called smartphones like the iPhone and Android are actually powerful, pocket-sized computers capable of running programs called applications, or “apps.” The November 2010 issue of the Harvard Health Letter describes some of the highest-rated and most widely used apps for common health problems. These are just a few of the apps reviewed in this issue:

Tap and Track is an all-in-one app for diet and exercise. You enter what you eat, your physical activity, your actual weight, and your target weight. It computes your nutritional intake. Each time you enter a snack or plug in a workout, you’ll receive a nutritional tally as well as the number of calories you have left for the day. The $3.99 app can generate graphs and spreadsheets tracking your progress, which can be e-mailed to your computer.

Glucose buddy tracks glucose readings you enter four times a day, as well as food consumed, exercise, and medication. You can set alarms to remind you to take the glucose readings.

HeartWise lets you enter your blood pressure readings along with your pulse and weight. The app will calculate your average arterial pressure and generate graphs showing fluctuations over time.

Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock finds the best time during a chosen 30-minute period to wake you. You place your phone on a corner of your mattress, secure it under a contour sheet, and allow it to “observe” you for a few nights. Using its built-in motion sensor, the phone gets to know your sleep patterns well enough to find the best moment to wake you.

Pocket First Aid & CPR, from the American Heart Association, offers detailed instructions for assisting accident victims and those who fall ill, including video instructions for performing procedures like CPR or using a cardiac defibrillator. Some of the instructions are too lengthy and intricate to be first used during a crisis, so you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the content first.

Read the full-length article: "Smartphoning it in"