Researchers from the University of Leeds have developed an AI system named Optimise, which analyzes health records to help general practitioners identify patients at elevated risk for serious heart conditions.

This groundbreaking study examined the health records of over two million individuals, revealing that many patients had undiagnosed health issues or were not receiving necessary medications to mitigate their heart risks.

Dr. Ramesh Nadarajah, a health data research fellow at the university, highlighted that preventing the progression of health conditions is often more cost-effective than treating them.

The analysis identified more than 400,000 individuals as high-risk for various heart-related issues, including heart failure, stroke, and diabetes. Alarmingly, this group accounted for 74% of heart-related deaths.

In a pilot study involving 82 high-risk patients, the Optimise AI discovered that one in five participants had undiagnosed moderate to high-risk chronic kidney disease. Over half of the patients with high blood pressure were prescribed new medications for better heart risk management.

The study advocates for earlier interventions, which could potentially ease the burden on the National Health Service (NHS). Dr. Nadarajah stated that heart-related fatalities often result from a combination of factors, and the AI’s use of readily available data can provide valuable insights for healthcare professionals.

The researchers are planning a larger clinical trial and recently presented their findings at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in London.

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Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation, emphasized the critical role of early diagnosis in reducing hospitalizations, noting that heart and circulatory diseases account for a quarter of all deaths in the UK.

The team hopes their research will ultimately benefit patients with heart and circulatory diseases while alleviating pressure on the NHS.