Introduction
Artificial intelligence (AI) could help GPs identify patients most at risk of developing conditions that could lead to death from heart problems, including kidney failure and diabetes, a study has found.
Benefits of AI in Healthcare
The approach could allow medics to treat patients earlier, helping to relieve pressures on the NHS.
How the AI System Works
The AI system, known as Optimise, was trained by academics at the University of Leeds using health records of more than two million people over the age of 30 from between 1998 and 2008.
It identified 416,228 people as high risk for conditions such as heart failure, stroke, and diabetes.
This group made up 74% of patients who died of a heart-related condition.
Expert Insights
Dr Ramesh Nadarajah, a health data research fellow at the University of Leeds, stated: “Heart-related deaths are often caused by a constellation of factors. This AI uses readily available data to gather new insights that could help healthcare professionals ensure that they are providing timely care for their patients.”
Pilot Study Findings
In an Optimise pilot involving 82 high-risk patients, one in five were found to have undiagnosed moderate or high-risk chronic kidney disease.
More than half of patients with high blood pressure were given different medication to better manage their heart risk.
Future Plans
Plans are in place to carry out a larger clinical trial, according to researchers, who presented their findings at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in London.
Dr Nadarajah added: “We hope our research will ultimately benefit patients living with heart and circulatory diseases, as well as helping relieve pressure off our NHS systems, as prevention is often a cheaper solution than treatment.”
Conclusion
Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation, which funded the study, remarked: “A quarter of all deaths in the UK are caused by heart and circulatory diseases and this new and exciting study harnesses the power of ever-evolving AI technology to detect the multitude of conditions that contribute to it.”
“Early diagnosis is key to reducing hospital admissions and heart-related deaths, allowing people to live longer lives in good health.”
“We look forward to seeing how this will help accelerate and inform clinical decision-making, ensuring patients receive timely and effective treatment and support.”
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