Artificial intelligence may be able to pinpoint atrial fibrillation

Researchers have developed a machine-learning method that can pinpoint a dangerous heart condition, new research shows. With 90 percent accuracy, researchers were able to detect atrial fibrillation using artificial intelligence-guided EKG, according to a study published Friday in The Lancet. The method even worked when no symptoms were present in patients. "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," Paul Friedman, chair of the at Mayo Clinic's Department of Cardiovascular Medicine and study senior author, said in a news release. "Blood thinners are very effective for preventing another stroke in people with atrial fibrillation. But for those without atrial fibrillation, using blood thinners increases the risk of bleeding without substantial benefit."