Affinity Health, a leading provider of high-quality health cover, is raising awareness of how artificial intelligence (AI) could help identify heart disease earlier during Heart Awareness Month.
Heart disease can develop quietly, with conditions such as high blood pressure, narrowed arteries, and abnormal heart rhythms causing few early symptoms. For some people, the first clear warning may be chest pain, severe breathlessness, a stroke, or a heart attack.
Routine heart screening remains essential and may include checks for blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and other risk factors. Further tests, such as an electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram, stress test, or heart scan, may also be recommended.
“AI isn’t a replacement for healthcare professionals or routine screening, but it could help pick up on things that might otherwise be missed,” says Murray Hewlett, CEO of Affinity Health.
“Used the right way, it has the potential to help detect symptoms of concern earlier and aid more people with the care they need sooner.”
How Can AI Examine the Heart?
AI learns to spot patterns by analysing large amounts of medical data. Once a system has been properly developed and tested, it can compare a patient’s results with signs linked to certain heart conditions.
An electrocardiogram (ECG) records the heart’s electrical activity. Doctors use it to detect abnormal heart rhythms, signs of a heart attack, and other problems. When used alongside an ECG, it may pick up tiny changes linked to a weakened heart muscle, even when the results appear normal at first glance.
AI can also support the reading of echocardiograms, which use ultrasound to show the heart’s structure and movement. It can help measure the heart’s chambers, check how well the heart is pumping, and draw attention to areas that may need further investigation.
On more detailed scans, AI may help detect calcium build-up or changes in the blood vessels that could point to a higher risk of coronary artery disease. Researchers are also studying whether information from eye scans, routine blood tests, and medical records could reveal early patterns linked to future heart problems.
Could AI Detect Disease Earlier?
In some cases, it can.
AI can quickly analyse large amounts of health information and spot patterns that may be difficult to recognise during a routine assessment. This could help healthcare professionals identify people who need:
- Closer monitoring.
- Additional heart tests.
- An echocardiogram.
- A specialist referral.
- Urgent medical care.
Finding a potential problem earlier gives patients more time to take action. This may include lowering blood pressure or cholesterol, managing blood sugar, stopping smoking, becoming more active, or starting appropriate treatment.
In some healthcare facilities, AI-assisted ECG analysis can also flag patterns linked to a possible heart attack or another serious condition, allowing medical teams to investigate urgently. However, many AI tools are still being tested, and access differs between facilities.
This technology could be particularly useful in communities with limited access to cardiologists or advanced testing. When properly tested and used by trained healthcare professionals, AI may help doctors and nurses decide which patients require further care.
What About Smartwatches?
Some smartwatches and portable monitors can track heart rate and rhythm or record a single-lead ECG. They may alert the wearer to an irregular heartbeat linked to atrial fibrillation, a condition that can increase the risk of stroke.
However, an alert is not a confirmed diagnosis, and wearable devices can miss a problem or issue a false warning. They also cannot rule out a heart attack, blocked artery, or another serious heart condition. Anyone with concerning symptoms should seek medical advice, regardless of what their device shows.
AI Is Not Always Right
AI can make mistakes. A false-positive result may cause unnecessary worry and testing, while a false-negative result may wrongly reassure someone that nothing is wrong.
Accuracy depends on the quality and variety of the medical information used to develop and test the system. If certain sexes, age groups, or population groups are underrepresented in that data, the tool may not work equally well for everyone. So, it needs to be properly tested in the population and healthcare setting where it will be used.
Privacy is also important. ECGs, scans, wearable readings, and medical records contain sensitive information. Patients should know what data is collected, where it is stored, and who can access it. The World Health Organization says healthcare AI should protect privacy, be fair, and remain accountable to patients and healthcare professionals.
Protecting Your Heart Still Starts with You
AI may help healthcare professionals uncover hidden risks, prioritise urgent cases, and gain more information from existing tests. However, it cannot replace medical expertise, physical examinations, or routine health checks.
To protect your heart:
- Know your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
- Discuss smoking, weight, physical activity, and family history with a healthcare professional.
- Attend recommended health checks and follow-up appointments.
- Seek emergency medical help for chest pain, pressure, tightness, or heaviness, especially with breathlessness, sweating, nausea, dizziness, or pain spreading to the arm, jaw, neck, back, or stomach.
Affinity Health members can access 24/7 telehealth GP consultations and unlimited managed visits to a Medical Society for professional advice about heart health risks, concerning symptoms, and routine checks.
AI could become a valuable early-warning tool, but protecting your heart still depends on understanding your risks, having regular checks, and acting quickly when warning signs appear.
About Affinity Health
Affinity Health is South Africa’s leading health cover provider, offering you a range of options at affordable rates, including access to the widest national provider network. We understand the importance of having medical insurance that meets your needs, budget, and lifestyle. Our healthcare products are designed to protect you and your family when it matters the most. We strive to give our members peace of mind and the highest standard of service. For more information, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.
