AI tool can identify patients at risk of heart-related deaths

An AI algorithm can identify those at highest risk of conditions leading to heart-related death, according to research funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).  

The study, presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in London on 31 August 2024, found that the AI tool could allow GPs to spot those at highest risk earlier and offer them preventative treatments sooner.

Researchers at the University of Leeds trained the AI by analysing the health records of more than two million patients, aged 30 year-old and over, from between 1998 and 2008.

They found that in many cases patients had undiagnosed conditions, such as kidney failure and diabetes, or had not received the medications that could help reduce their risk.

The AI tool, OPTIMISE, identified more than 400,000 people as being at high risk of dying from a heart cause.

This group made up 74% of participants who died of a heart-related condition at 10-year follow up.

Dr Ramesh Nadarajah, a health data research UK fellow at the University of Leeds, said that 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.

“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,” he said.

The team piloted OPTIMISE on a group of 82 high risk-patients.

One in five received a diagnosis of kidney disease that would not have been picked up otherwise.

More than half of those with high blood pressure were given different medication to better manage their risk of heart-related death.

OPTIMISE identified patients at an earlier stage and more accurately than current methods, which led to improved management of risk factors, ultimately preventing conditions from worsening and reducing chances of heart-related death.

Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the BHF, said: “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.”

The researchers hope the tool could be implemented into GP systems to allow them to identify high-risk patients.

Next, they will carry out a larger clinical trial and hope to roll out OPTIMISE for use by GPs within two years.

Meanwhile, a report commissioned by NHS England, published on 31 July 2024,  found that the use of autonomous AI could improve effectiveness and reducing wait times for skin cancer pathways.