AI tool detects heart condition before people have symptoms
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A new AI tool can identify people who have a heart condition before symptoms arise, reducing the risk of potentially deadly strokes. The ground-breaking tool scours GP records to look for "red flags" which could indicate whether a patient is at risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF).
The algorithm was created using anonymised electronic health records of more than 2.1 million people and was validated with medical records from a further 10 million people. AF causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate, and people with it have a significantly higher risk of having a stroke.
For some, AF can lead to heart palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath and tiredness. But others have no symptoms of the condition, and the affected person is completely unaware that their heart rate is irregular. When identified and treated early it can be managed and the stroke risk reduced.
Around 1.6 million people across the UK have been diagnosed with AF, but the British Heart Foundation (BHF) says there are likely many thousands of undiagnosed people in the UK who are unaware they're living with the condition. Hospitals in South Wales introduce mask-wearing rules amid fears of rising flu cases.
'I walk into a room and people start coughing': Rare condition makes people allergic to sufferers. Motorists want tougher sentences and instant roadside bans for drink-driving, says RAC. Six-month trial. Developed by scientists and clinicians at the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, the tool is being assessed in a six-month trial in some surgeries in West Yorkshire.
