New AI system predicts heart attack risk in 10 years

A group of scientists from the University of Oxford has developed a new artificial intelligence system that can predict whether a person is at risk of suffering a heart attack over the next decade. According to reports, this technology may soon be available throughout the United Kingdom.

Here's What We Know

The inventors claim that this innovation can save thousands of lives every year. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the National Health Service (NHS) plan to evaluate the technique by the end of the year.

Each year, more than 300,000 people in the UK visit doctors with severe chest pain, and many of them have a computed tomography (CT) scan to determine if they have a heart abnormality.

However, less than 20 per cent of these scans reveal obstructions. The remaining 80 per cent of patients go home, often with inappropriate reassurances that there are no problems.

The application of new artificial intelligence to heart scans will allow doctors to more accurately identify problems and provide patients with clearer recommendations.

Here's How It Works

The technology is based on the detection of damage caused by arterial inflammation, which is not always detected by standard CT scans. If artificial intelligence can reliably detect these "hidden" lesions, it will significantly improve the treatment options for patients at risk of heart attack.

Although the introduction of AI into medical practice often raises concerns, especially about possible errors, studies show that doctors agreed with AI data 45 per cent of the time, and even changed patient treatment based on the results.

Source: The Guardian