Heart Failure is Detectable at Point of Care Using ECG-Enabled Stethoscope, Research Finds

Ejection fraction is an important method of mortality prediction among cardiac patients and a low ejection fraction number suggests problems with the heart's pumping function, and may be associated with heart failure. An estimated 6.2 million Americans suffer from heart failure, according to federal statistics. The American Heart Association predicts that more than eight million will have the condition by 2030. When tested on 100 patients, the Eko DUO device combined with an AI model was able to detect ejection fraction 35% with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.90, which is comparable to previously published research in Nature Medicine. These findings could help identify patients with a low ejection fraction during routine physical examinations, facilitating rapid clinical recognition of those requiring further testing. This marks the first time that a point of care device with a single lead ECG combined with an AI algorithm identified low ejection fraction in patients.