Machine learning can predict risk of death in patients with cardiovascular disease

A new machine learning system is better at predicting the likelihood of patients with cardiovascular problems dying within ten years than healthcare professionals' methods, according to a study presented at the EuroEcho 2021, a scientific meeting of the European Society Cardiology. Unlike traditional methods based solely on clinical data, the new machine learning system also includes results from imaging scans on the heart, measured by stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). During this exam, patients receive a drug that mimics the effect of exercise on the heart and then undergo imaging using a magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Assessing the risk of death is commonly done in these patients. Usually, doctors use a limited amount of clinical information, including age, sex, smoking, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.