Researchers say that stethoscope operated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help detect three different heart conditions in seconds.
The original stethoscope invented in 1816 allows doctors to listen to the internal sounds of a patient’s body.
But now a British team has designed a design that can do heart failure, heart valve disease and unusual heart rhythm almost immediately.
This device may be a “real game-shineer”, resulting in patients to be treated soon, researchers say-with a plan to roll the device in the UK after a study related to 205 GP surgery in west and northwest London.
The new device replaces the traditional chest piece with a device around the size of a playing card. It uses a microphone to analyze the subtle differences in the heartbeat and blood flow that the human ear cannot detect.
It takes an ECG (electrocardiogram), records electrical signals from the heart, and sends information to the cloud analyzed by the AI ​​trained on the data of thousands of patients.
A study conducted by Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust saw more than 12,000 patients of 96 surgery examined with AI Stethoscope. They were then compared to patients with 109 GP surgery where technology was not used.
Researchers stated that those tested along the device were likely to diagnose heart failure in the next 12 months.
Abnormal heartbeat patterns, which have no symptoms, but could increase the risk of stroke, were 3.5 times more detected with AI stethoscope, while the heart valve disease was 1.9 times more detected.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) and Clinical Director of Consultant Cardiologist, Dr. Sonu Babu-Narayan said: “This is a beautiful example of how humble stethoscope was invented over 200 years ago, can be upgraded to the 21st century”.
Such innovations are important “because often the condition is diagnosed only in an advanced stage when patients participate in the hospital as an emergency”, he said.
“Looking at the earlier diagnosis, people can use the treatment that are necessary to help them stay well for a long time.”
This conclusion has been presented to thousands of doctors at the European Society of Cardiology Annual Congress at Madrid at the world’s largest heart conference.
There are plans to introduce new stethoscope for GP practices in South London, Sussex and Wales.