The Imperial College of London and the UK National Health Service found an AI-powered device can screen for heart failure during physical exams, according to a study published Feb. 1 in The Lancet.
The DUO ECG + Digital Stethoscope tool, developed by Oakland-Calif.-based Eko, detects weakened heart pumps. The algorithm used by the tool was developed in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic.
Researchers recruited 1,050 patients between Feb. 6 and May 27, 2021. When 15-second recordings were taken using the tool at one chest location, the algorithm was 81 percent accurate at identifying normal and impaired heart pumping function and 86 percent accurate when researchers used two recording locations.
"This tool allows healthcare professionals to reliably rule in or rule out heart failure at the point of care," said Nicholas Peters, MD, professor of cardiology at Imperial College London. "The result will be earlier diagnosis and treatment and the avoidance of unnecessary and expensive tests for those in whom heart failure is ruled out. This means better and more cost-effective healthcare. It’s a total game-changer."
The tool will be submitted to the FDA under “breakthrough designation” for formal review later this year.