The team from the
Experts estimate that about 1 in 3 people with atrial fibrillation do not know they have the condition.
"This research allows for better identification of a hidden heart condition and informs the best way to develop algorithms that are equitable and generalisable to all patients," said
In atrial fibrillation, the electrical signals in the heart that regulate the pumping of blood from the upper chambers to the lower chambers are chaotic. This can cause blood in the upper chambers to pool and form blood clots that can travel to the brain and trigger an ischemic stroke.
To create the algorithm, investigators programmed an artificial intelligence tool to study patterns found in electrocardiogram readings. An electrocardiogram is a test that monitors electrical signals from the heart. People who undergo this test have electrodes placed on their body that detect the heart's electrical activity.
The programme was trained to analyse electrocardiogram readings taken between January 1, 1987, and December 31, 2022. The algorithm was trained on almost a million electrocardiograms and it accurately predicted patients would have atrial fibrillation within 31 days.
SEE ALSO:
The rise of foldables – OnePlus Open set to take on the Galaxy Z Fold 5
States with the most startups in India – Karnataka is a distant second
Smartphone makers should be a worried lot as global shipments decline to a decade low