Much is expected from the growing involvement of AI in cardiology. The confirmation comes from the ESC Congress in Munich, which highlighted the different perspectives offered by machine learning in this area, from the improvement of accuracy in diagnosis to the possibility offered by telemedicine and above all the ability to identify those who are most at risk.
In fact, cardiovascular diseases remain the main cause of death in Europe and are responsible for over 10,000 deaths per day and approximately 17.9 million deaths every year. It is an often silent threat, which affects almost one in two women and two in five men. Yet, up to 80% of heart disease and strokes are preventable by acting on the main risk factors, including hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, poor nutrition, excessive alcohol consumption and stress.
The opportunities of AI
A study recently appeared on Nature Medicine shows that three-month mortality can be reduced by 31% by combining AI with the electrocardiogram to identify cases with a greater probability of experiencing a fatal event. Not only that. Even in terms of early diagnosis of heart attack which is “deceiving” because perhaps the symptoms and signs are not so striking as to require an immediate call for help, AI can become the tool that avoids wasting time and therefore allows for an early diagnosis of ischemia. In practice, it will be possible to have a revascularization treatment (i.e. the blood with oxygen is brought back to the heart in the area of ischemia) more quickly.
On the other hand, we must not exaggerate, with the risk of excessive delegation of the doctor to AI, because there is a danger of “distortion”. This is according to a study recently published in JAMA and conducted by experts at the University of Michigan. Experts point out that the logic used by AI systems must be transparent or at least translatable to the human mind for a valid relationship between doctor and patient. The limit, and at the same time the challenge of using AI in cardiology and beyond, consists in the difficult interpretability of the decisions made by AI systems, which can give rise to real barriers to the adoption and acceptance of AI solutions by medical personnel.
The usefulness of the Apps
Wearable devices are a reality for screening and monitoring vital parameters without becoming a diagnostic tool. In short, they are useful “sentinels”. This is the case of the smartwatch, which for 24 hours is able to detect the heart rate, the rhythm of the heart and to offer information on the behavior patterns of blood pressure, it can help us understand if something is wrong and therefore talk about it with those who care about health. According to the results of research coordinated by Adam Bress of the University of Utah, which appeared in JAMA, thanks to these tools it is possible to suspect those who have high blood pressure without knowing it, with a particularly high specificity in adults/elderly people.
For the rest, to help patients understand their level of risk of heart attack and stroke, we can mention CardioCompass, a digital application developed thanks to the commitment of Daiichi Sankyo Italia to support patients in understanding cardiovascular risk and promote greater awareness of their health. Available on multiple platforms – mobile and in an immersive XR version compatible with the main virtual reality viewers – CardioCompass offers an innovative and interactive experience designed to make complex information on cardiovascular diseases more accessible and help people better orient themselves between risk factors, prevention and the importance of therapeutic adherence.
According to Italian data from the European Heart Health Survey 2025, the European survey carried out by Daiichi Sankyo Europe on citizens’ perceptions of cardiovascular care, over 20% of Italian patients do not consider themselves adequately informed about the symptoms of cardiovascular diseases. Among the most recognized signs are chest pain (79%), fatigue (73%) and breathing difficulty (72%), while symptoms such as localized pain (31%) or nausea and vomiting (29%) are much less well known. The survey also highlights a very clear need for simplification and quality in communication: 60% of patients believe that more effective communication from the doctor could help them more in managing their condition, while 53% indicate the need to receive simpler and clearer information.
