AI could help detect irregular heart rhythm in EKG test - ET HealthWorld

New York: Artificial Intelligence (AI) can detect the signs of an irregular heart rhythm - atrial fibrillation (AF) in an electrocardiogram (EKG), even if the heart is in normal rhythm at the time of a test, says new Mayo Clinic research. The AI-enabled EKG can detect recent atrial fibrillation that occurred without symptoms or that is impending, potentially improving treatment options. The research could improve the efficiency of the EKG, a noninvasive and widely available method of heart disease screening, said the study published in The Lancet. While common, atrial fibrillation often is fleeting and is challenging to diagnose. "When people come in with a stroke, we really want to know if they had atrial fibrillation in the days before the stroke, because it guides the treatment," said Paul Friedman, Chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Mayo Clinic.