A study conducted by the University of Oxford has revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to predict an individual's risk of experiencing a heart attack up to a decade in advance. This technology has the potential to save numerous lives and enhance the treatment of nearly half of all patients, according to researchers. The study, supported by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), examined the use of AI to improve the accuracy of cardiac CT scans, which are used to identify artery blockages or narrowing.

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The research involved analyzing data from over 40,000 patients who underwent routine cardiac CT scans at eight UK hospitals, with a median follow-up period of 2.7 years. An AI tool was then tested on an additional 3,393 patients over nearly eight years, successfully predicting heart attack risk. These AI-generated risk assessments were provided to medical professionals for 744 patients, resulting in treatment plan adjustments for 45% of them. The findings highlight the potential of AI-based technology to identify individuals at high risk of future heart attacks, with the hope of implementing it across the NHS to prevent avoidable heart attack-related deaths in the UK.