Artificial intelligence breakthrough: AI can predict heart attacks up to a decade in advance, says Oxford study
Researchers at the University of Oxford have made a ground-breaking discovery in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) by developing a technology that can predict if a person is at risk of having a heart attack up to 10 years in the future. According to the study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, this new technology has the potential to save thousands of lives and significantly improve treatment for almost half of all patients.
The study specifically focused on improving the accuracy of cardiac CT scans used to detect blockages or narrowing in the arteries. The researchers found that patients with chest pain, who typically get sent home, were actually at high risk of a heart attack in the next decade, even if no signs of disease were detected in their heart arteries.
By providing an accurate risk assessment to clinicians, this AI technology can dramatically alter and enhance the course of treatment for many heart patients. Currently, in the UK, about 350,000 people undergo CT scans each year, but unfortunately, many patients later die from heart attacks due to undetectable narrowings that go unnoticed.
To conduct the study, the researchers analyzed data from over 40,000 patients who had routine cardiac CT scans at eight UK hospitals. The AI tool was then tested on an additional 3,393 patients and accurately predicted their risk of a heart attack. As a result, medical professionals changed treatment plans for 45% of the patients based on the AI-generated risk scores.
The researchers are hopeful that this AI tool will be implemented across the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK to prevent avoidable heart attack deaths. The study also revealed that patients with significant narrowings of the arteries were more likely to have a serious heart attack, but surprisingly, twice as many patients with no significant narrowings also experienced heart attacks, some of which were fatal.
Prof Sir Nilesh Samani, medical director at the BHF, praised the research, acknowledging the valuable role AI-based technology can play in identifying those most at risk of future heart attacks. The results of this study have the potential to revolutionize the way heart attacks are diagnosed and prevented, ultimately saving thousands of lives worldwide.
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