Artificial intelligence is proving itself invaluable in the medical world. Last week we wrote about a new form of AI that can be used to discover Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) 48 hours before it occurs, which can potentially save thousands of lives each year. This time around, researchers are finding that AI can be used to identify a common condition that causes the heart to beat irregularly.
Atrial fibrillation, as the condition is known, affects one million people in the UK alone and increases the risk of stroke and long-term heart problems. The big problem with this condition is that it can fly under the radar undetected, but with the new AI, researchers have been able to identify signs that indicate abnormalities in the heart that would typically require long-term heart monitoring to discover. Researchers said it was still early days, but believe the system could lead to earlier and easier detection of the problem and, therefore, ensure patients get the right treatment, saving lives.