An Australian life-saving smartphone app is helping heart attack survivors stick to their rehabilitation program and avoid a fatal second bout.

The Cloud-based MoTER app, developed by the CSIRO's Australian e-Health Research Centre, takes the hassle out of staying healthy by allowing patients to follow tailored rehabilitation programs from home – or wherever they may be – rather than having to travel to an outpatient centre.

The CSIRO's new smartphone app significantly boosts heart attack patients' likelihood of completing rehab.

Cardiovascular disease is Australia's No.1 killer, with one person nearly every 12 minutes dying from a heart attack.

But for sufferers, family and work commitments, as well as a lack of motivation after the harrowing experience of a heart attack, can make sticking to rehab feels more like a pain in the chest than a ticket to longevity.