Research highlights:
- A study of patients at a Taiwanese hospital found that by combining artificial intelligence technology and electrocardiography, it took about 10 minutes to diagnose a heart attack and send it to a cardiac catheterization lab for treatment. minutes was shortened.
- The study evaluated patients who had ST-elevation myocardial infarction, or STEMI, a type of heart attack in which a coronary artery is completely blocked.
- During a heart attack, heart damage can occur quickly because insufficient oxygen levels reach the heart muscle. Therefore, starting treatment earlier leads to better outcomes for patients.
Embargoed until Monday, November 13, 2023 at 10:15 a.m. ET
PHILADELPHIA, November 13, 2023 — Technology that incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) and electrocardiogram (EKG) testing can help diagnose and send patients for treatment after a heart attack, according to new research findings. The time it took to get there was reduced by almost 10 minutes. The scientific study was conducted at a hospital in Taiwan and presented today at the American Heart Association. Academic Session 2023. The conference, to be held in Philadelphia from November 11-13, is the premier global gathering to exchange updates on the latest scientific advances, research, and evidence-based clinical practice in cardiovascular science. .
“Modern AI may be as good as a professional cardiologist at diagnosing severe heart attacks,” said study lead author Qingsheng, professor, director of the Center for Medical Technology Education, and associate dean. said Lin, MD. He received his medical degree from the National Defense Medical Center in Taipei, Taiwan. “Hospitals will be able to leverage more of his AI tools to assist front-line doctors, especially those who are less experienced. This will speed up treatment and eliminate mistakes in treating patients having a heart attack. may become less.”
When a heart attack occurs, clogged coronary arteries reduce blood flow to the heart, starving it of oxygen. May damage the heart muscle. Treatment System for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Timely diagnosis and treatment are essential to restoring blood flow, reducing myocardial damage, and increasing the chances of recovery after a heart attack, according to a policy statement from Americans. is important. Heart Association.
An EKG test is a non-invasive diagnostic tool that shows the electrical activity of the heart. It will also reveal whether the heart attack is a more serious type of heart attack called an ST-elevation myocardial infarction, or STEMI, which occurs when a coronary artery is completely blocked. STEMI often requires a trip to a cardiac catheterization facility for procedures to widen the blockage, such as coronary angioplasty or stenting.
This study investigated whether artificial intelligence and electrocardiography could be used together to help medical professionals diagnose STEMMI and transport patients to cardiac catheterization labs more quickly.
The trial involved more than 43,000 patients who were seen in the emergency department or as inpatients at the Third Military General Hospital, Taiwan’s largest military hospital, between May 2022 and April 2023.
Patients were divided approximately equally into two groups. One was the intervention group, which included AI-assisted electrocardiography. The control group received standard care with a medical professional interpreting the electrocardiogram results to determine whether cardiac catheterization was needed. All patients diagnosed with STEMI were treated in the cardiac catheterization laboratory to confirm the size and location of the occlusion.
Test results included:
- AI-enabled ECG accurately diagnosed STEMMI patients with a positive predictive value of 88% and a negative predictive value of 99.9%.
- AI technology has reduced treatment wait times for STEMI patients from approximately 52 minutes to 43 minutes.
- AI-assisted ECG confirmed STEMI in seven hospitalized patients, while standard care confirmed STEMI in only one hospitalized patient.
“Although the difference in STEMI diagnoses in the ER was not significant between the two groups, the improvement in diagnostic accuracy for hospitalized patients was surprising,” said Lynn, MD, Director of Medical Education, Physician Educator, and Ph.D. he said. Cardiologist at Tri-Service General Hospital, where the study was conducted. “This shows that there is much that can be done to improve how STEMI is diagnosed in hospitalized patients.”
“The recent AI revolution has significantly improved the accuracy of clinical decision support systems and made physicians more trusting of this technology,” he said. “Using low-cost technology tools is beneficial in daily medical practice. In the future, we may see more use of these technology tools in new ways, such as in ambulances and wearable devices. , could change the way STEMI patients are cared for.”
Research background and details:
- The average age of the patients was 60 years, and approximately half were male.
- The study included 43,176 patients treated by 20 cardiologists.
Limitations of this study include that it did not track long-term outcomes and that the number of people surveyed may have been too small to see long-term results. Additionally, this study was only conducted in one of his hospitals in Taiwan, so the results may not apply to other hospitals with different clinical processes.
Since 2007, the American Heart Association has championed improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of heart attack, stroke, and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest through its Mission: Lifeline Quality Initiative. Mission: Lifeline is focused on supporting hospitals, emergency medical institutions, neighborhoods, and communities by building collaborative, efficient, and effective systems of care across the United States. The overarching goal of this initiative is to reduce patient mortality and morbidity while improving overall quality of care. and patient outcomes.
Co-authors, disclosures, and funding sources are listed in the abstract.
Research statements and conclusions presented at American Heart Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the association. The Association makes no representations or warranties regarding its accuracy or reliability. Abstracts presented at the Society’s scientific conferences are not peer-reviewed, but are selected by an independent review committee and considered based on their potential to increase the diversity of scientific issues and views discussed at the conference. The findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
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