A revolutionary AI tool has emerged as a potential game-changer in identifying individuals at risk of heart attacks. In a groundbreaking real-world trial, this technology demonstrated an impressive 45% improvement in treatment for patients with chest pain.

Traditionally, around 350,000 individuals undergo cardiac CT scans annually in the UK, with many discharged due to inconclusive results. Unfortunately, a significant number of these patients later experience heart attacks, often due to undetected arterial issues. Professor Charalambos Antoniades and his team at the University of Oxford created and tested the innovative AI tool, which examined data from over 40,000 patients who had undergone routine cardiac CT scans.

By examining changes in artery fat and other clinical factors, the AI accurately predicted cardiac events. What is revolutionary is that this tool identified a ten-fold higher risk of heart-related fatalities among patients with inflammation in their blood vessels but no artery obstructions. In a world-first pilot, clinicians altered treatment plans in up to 45% of cases based on the AI-generated risk scores.

Professor Antoniades, enthusiastic about its potential, believes this AI tool could save thousands of lives annually. Professor Sir Nilesh Samani of the British Heart Foundation echoes this sentiment, emphasising the critical role of AI in identifying high-risk patients and driving better treatment decisions. With the potential to transform patient care and reduce needless heart-related fatalities, this AI-powered innovation holds promise for revolutionising how chest pain cases are managed and treated across the NHS.

Professor Antoniades's research is supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre.