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Artificial Intelligence in heart disease prevention and management

Mark Twain is famously quoted as saying, "Mauritius was made first, and then heaven; and heaven was copied after Mauritius. I couldn’t agree more with Mark Twain. The beauty of Mauritius continues to fascinate me everyday even after more than a decade of making it my home. 


However, as a Cardiologist, I have been witness to high levels of stress imposed on our society due to high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and its risk factors like diabetes, hypertension, obesity etc. What makes the situation even more painful is that these diseases are affecting our youth and taking away many years of good quality life. 


At the same time, I draw quiet comfort from the fact that this high burden can be easily overcome if we appropriately harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI)  in early detection and management of these conditions. 


Wearable  technology powered with AI can reliably ensure monitoring of blood pressure, pulse, blood sugar, activity, oxygen levels , electrocardiogram(ECG) from the comfort of our homes. This data can be easily shared electronically with the qualified healthcare provider for effective overseeing and planning the management in terms of medication etc. 

I have made this a standard practice in my care and can state with confidence that it goes a long way in reducing and even reversing these chronic conditions. 


Another arena of potential benefit of AI powered technology is early diagnosis of diseases like blockages of heart arteries, heart failure, rhythm abnormalities. 

We have the availability of technologies like cardisiography, CT coronary calcium scoring, AI powered cardiac imaging which provide information about the state of arteries and function of the heart.


Here again it’s  important to emphasize on ‘ appropriate’ use. It’s not just sufficient to detect the condition. It needs to be stratified in terms of severity, the overall clinical status and needs of the patient. Not all abnormal reports convey the same meaning. For example, not all blocked arteries will benefit from unblocking & not all open arteries signify absence of disease. These technologies need intelligent oversight from qualified healthcare providers who are trained in their interpretation and management of disease conditions. Always remember, both over treatment and under treatment can have serious adverse consequences. 


Now I  would like to talk about Dr Chat GPT or Dr Google and share my experience. The information provided is often useful but mostly it’s general information about the disease. It’s not personalized to the condition of the individual seeking the information. For example pain in the jaw can be due to toothache and also a sign of heart attack. Dr Google may not be able to pick it up correctly whereas an experienced healthcare provider is expected to diagnose correctly. 


Finally, I come to the most important aspect of healthcare . It is the accountability and responsibility towards patients. And this is where the onus lies on the shoulders of the doctors. Management plans based on AI without oversight can be dangerous at times. Simultaneously, not recognizing the power of AI in improving healthcare outcomes will be a dangerous mistake. 


So, I will end on an optimistic note that we are living in promising times. A combination of human and artificial intelligence has a high likelihood of reducing the burden of cardiovascular diseases on our beautiful island. 


It’s best to enjoy this paradise island with a healthy mind and body. 


 
 
 

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