A new study has found that an at-home AI “foot-recognition” scanner may help prevent hospital admissions caused by heart failure.
According to the National Institute for Health and Care Research, with contributions from researchers in Torbay, the device can identify oedema, a build-up of fluid in the feet and ankles. This swelling signals that heart failure is worsening.
The British Heart Foundation noted that more than one million people in the UK live with heart failure, a condition that can often result in hospitalisation.
AI Scanner Flags Heart Failure, Dr Keeling Says
Dr Philip Keeling, the study’s senior author and a consultant cardiologist at the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, explained that the scanner continuously monitors patients and can alert a heart failure nurse when problems arise.
He said the device is capable of spotting one of the three key warning signs early enough to help prevent a hospital stay. He also pointed out that only around half of heart failure patients currently receive an early follow-up review from a specialist nurse, who would normally assess whether dangerous fluid retention is developing because the heart is not functioning properly.
With ongoing shortages of heart failure nurses, he added, the scanner could act as a “virtual nurse,” remotely tracking patients’ condition and supporting earlier intervention.
The device, developed by Heartfelt Technologies, captures 1,800 images per minute of the feet and lower legs from several angles. Using AI to recognise foot position, it then estimates the amount of fluid present in the feet.
The study evaluating the scanner included 26 patients across five NHS trusts.
Home Scanner Identifies Risks Before Hospital Admission
Of the participants who had the scanner installed at home for at least two weeks before it issued an alert, three were later admitted to hospital with heart failure.
These alerts were triggered between eight and 19 days before admission, providing an average warning period of 13 days. Researchers said this offered enough time for medical teams to intervene and potentially avoid hospitalisation.
The scanner also correctly predicted five of the six hospital admissions, and by the end of the six-month study, 82% of participants chose to continue using the device.
Technology Could Help Intervene Sooner, Says BHF Chief
Prof Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation, said the research demonstrates how technology can support earlier treatment and intervention.
He added that the small-scale study indicates a simple device may greatly improve outcomes for heart failure patients at risk by helping them avoid hospital admission.
A British Heart Foundation vê avanços transformadores nos cuidados cardíacos como parte essencial de seu objetivo de proteger e aprimorar a vida de quem convive com doenças cardiovasculares.
Read the original article on:bbc
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