Artificial intelligence continues to evolve in cardiology

Artificial intelligence continues to affect cardiology with improved capabilities to diagnose certain conditions such as atrial fibrillation, and research is underway to learn more about its use in disease management, a presenter said. Although ECG watches were patented in the early 1990s, smartwatches of today are different because of lower manufacturing costs, changes in the regulatory landscape, AI and smartphone-based data transfers, Mintu P. Turakhia, MD, MAS, associate professor and executive director of the Center for Digital Health at Stanford University School of Medicine and a Cardiology Today Next Gen Innovator, said in his presentation at the Scientific Session and Exhibition of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology. The use of wearables today has increased due to more people having smartphones, with 81% of the population worldwide owning a smartphone. Approximately 20% of people in the U.S. now own a consumer wearable, which is increasing annually, according to the presentation. People often track several metrics using consumer wearables, including heart rate, BP and blood glucose.