Research Spotlight: Use of Artificial Intelligence in Improving Outcomes in Heart Disease

Antonis Armoundas, PhD, an associate investigator in the Cardiovascular Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, is the lead author of a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association, Use of Artificial Intelligence in Improving Outcomes in Heart Disease.

The American Heart Association (AHA) is the largest non-profit funder of heart research in the United States (second only to the federal government).

This scientific statement outlines the current state-of-the-art on the use of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and data science in the diagnosis, classification and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

It also sets out to advance this mission, focusing on how digital tools and AI could:

• Provide clinical and mechanistic insights
• Address bias in clinical studies
• Facilitate education and implementation science to improve cardiovascular and stroke outcomes

Finally, a key objective of the statement is to further the field by identifying best practices, gaps and challenges for interested stakeholders.

The statement details the ways that AI is being incorporated into clinical care for cardiovascular patients.

Applications of AI and machine learning in the fields of imaging, electrocardiography, in-hospital monitoring, implantable and wearable technologies, genetics and the interpretation of electronic health records are all highlighted in the statement, as well as the gaps and challenges that exist in each area.

The statement also provides a framework for the successful implementation of AI/ML in CV Medicine, including considerations for precision medicine, clinical utility and implementation in patient care, clinical education and decision making, data handling, ethics, the equitable distribution of benefits and burdens, addressing bias and more.

About the Massachusetts General Hospital

Massachusetts General Hospital, founded in 1811, is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The Mass General Research Institute conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the nation, with annual research operations of more than $1 billion and comprises more than 9,500 researchers working across more than 30 institutes, centers and departments.MGH is a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system.