H2O Overload app

H2O Overload app

  • An app for people who need to limit their fluid intake, such as people with kidney failure, heart disease or low sodium levels.

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H2O Overload app By the National Kidney Foundation (USA)

Features

  • Fluid intake tracking.
  • Weight recording.
  • Blood pressure recording.
  • Medication list.
  • Doctors' appointment list.
  • Reports for sharing.
Clinical review 

4 star review


Read a clinical review below.

Security and privacy Does the app:
  • Collect medical information? Yes
  • Require a login? No
  • Have password protection? No
  • Have a privacy policy? No
  • Require internet access to use? Yes

Read more about safety and security when using apps.

Brochures:
Tips to improve your privacy and security [PNG, 200 KB] Health Navigator Charitable Trust, NZ
Staying safe online(external link) Netsafe, NZ

Cost Free
How to get the app

The app enables you to keep track of your daily fluid intake, weight and blood pressure. It allows you to set limits for these measurements and alerts you if your blood pressure or weight reaches a level that means you need to tell your healthcare provider. The app has provision for you to add doctors' appointments to a diary, create medication lists and store questions for your healthcare provider. It also has information about heart disease, kidney disease, low sodium levels and dietary tips.

For the complete app description, go to iTunes(external link) (Apple) and, for a detailed review, see reviews below.

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PROS CONS 

 Easy-to-use tracking features – able to track weight, fluid intake and blood pressure.

Quick data entry with the option to export progress in graphical format.

Displays an alert message when limits have been exceeded.

Weight trends can be viewed as graphs for the past week, month, 3 months and 6 months.

Good educational resource.

The My Medications function that allows you to create a list of medications is free-typed rather than a drop-down list.

✘ No option to view fluid intake over previous days, as the app resets the fluid intake log every 24 hours.

✘ Default settings are American measurement units such as pounds and ounces, although you can convert to kg and mL – each time you open the app it defaults back to pounds and ounces.

Available for Apple devices only; no Android version.

Clinical review

4 star review



Reviewer
: Angela Lambie, Pharmacist, Waitemata District Health Board
Date of review: April 2020
Version: 1.0.2
Platform: Apple
Comments: The app is useful for people who are monitoring their fluid intake and need to keep track of their fluids, blood pressure and weight. The user manually inputs daily data which is presented graphically and can be sent to others such as healthcare providers. The user can set targets which will alert the user if their weight, fluids or blood pressure are out of target range. Users can also include doctors' appointments and create a list of their medicines and questions to ask their healthcare provider. There is a good glossary and educational material about heart failure, kidney failure and other related conditions. 
Safety concerns: Default settings are American measurement units such as pounds and ounces, although you can convert to kg and mL – each time you open the app it defaults back to pounds and ounces. The default to pounds and ounces may be confusing for some users.
New Zealand relevance: Default settings are American units, and foods described are American-style foods. 


Clinical review

5 star review



Reviewer
: Luke Foster, Doctor, Waikato District Health Board
Date of review: January 2017   
Comments: 
The app is most suitable for people with chronic kidney disease and/or heart failure who are looking for support monitoring their salt and fluid intake. Users can log their water intake, weight and blood pressure against the targets they set with their health professional. It contains educational material for users to learn about their diagnosis and the importance of salt and fluid management. These functions may assist users aiming to improve their self-management.
Safety concerns: 
None
New Zealand relevance: 
There are no links to New Zealand based support groups or charities. Default settings are American measurement units such as pounds and ounces, but do make allowances for conversion to kg and mL – the difference in units can be confusing to New Zealand users.

The following references relate to articles about apps for heart failure and kidney disease.

  1. Athilingam P, Osorio RE, Kaplan H, et al. Embedding patient education in mobile platform for patients with heart failure: Theory-based development and beta testing(external link). Comput Inform Nurs. 2016 Feb;34(2):92-8.
  2. Lai J, Porter J. Dietary mobile apps and their effect on nutritional indicators in chronic renal disease: a systematic review(external link). Nephrology (Carlton). 2015 May 10.

Related resources

This app has been reviewed by other independent websites:
An app physicians should consider recommending for CHF and renal patients(external link) iMedicalApps

Disclaimer: The NZ Health App Library is a free consumer service to help you decide whether a health app would be suitable for you. Our review process is independent. We have no relationship with the app developers or companies and no responsibility for the service they provide. This means that if you have an issue with one of the apps we have reviewed, you will need to contact the app developer or company directly.

Credits: Healthify editorial team. Healthify is brought to you by Health Navigator Charitable Trust.