New AI Algorithm Predicts Risk of Heart Disease and Death

Researchers in South Korea have developed a new AI (artificial intelligence) algorithm that can predict the risk of heart disease and heart-related deaths using ECG (electrocardiogram) data. This algorithm helps doctors understand how healthy someone's heart is and if they are at risk for heart problems.

The research team at Inha University Hospital used ECG data from over 400,000 people to create the algorithm. It can predict the "biological age" of a person's heart based on how well it is functioning. This helps doctors find out if a person’s heart is aging faster than their actual age.

For example, if a 50-year-old has a biological heart age of 60, they are at higher risk for heart disease. On the other hand, if their heart age is younger than their actual age, they are at a lower risk.

The team found that when the heart’s biological age was seven years older than the person’s real age, the risk of dying or having serious heart events, like heart attacks or strokes, was much higher. But if the heart age was seven years younger, the risk was lower.

This new AI tool could change how doctors assess heart disease risks and improve how they treat patients. The research was presented at a major heart conference in Vienna, Austria.

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