A team of researchers in South Korea has developed a novel artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithm that uses electrocardiograph (ECG)2 data to predict the risk of cardiovascular events, and heart-related death.To create the algorithm, the team from Inha University Hospital analysed standard 12-lead electrocardiograph (ECG)2 data taken from almost half a million cases.
The novel algorithm can identify people most at risk of cardiovascular events and mortality by predicting the biological age of the heart, which is based on how the heart functions.
For example, a person who is 50 but has poor heart health could have a biological heart age of 60, while someone aged 50 with optimal heart health could have a biological heart age of 40.
Our research showed that when the biological age of the heart exceeded its chronological age by seven years, the risk of all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events increased sharply,” said Yong-Soo Baek, Associate Professor at Inha University Hospital.
“Conversely, if the algorithm estimated the biological heart as seven years younger than the chronological age, that reduced the risk of death and major adverse cardiovascular events,” Baek added.
The study showed that the integration of AI into clinical diagnostics presents novel opportunities for enhancing predictive accuracy in cardiology.
“Using AI to develop algorithms in this way introduces a potential paradigm shift in cardiovascular risk assessment,” said Baek.