AI trial to spot heart condition before symptoms

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A new AI tool is helping doctors find a heart condition called atrial fibrillation (AF) before symptoms even show up. This tool goes through patients' medical records to spot warning signs that someone might be at risk.

AF causes the heart to beat irregularly and often too fast. If you have it, your chances of having a stroke are much higher. But if it's caught early, treatment can lower that risk.

John Pengelly, a 74-year-old from Bradford, is one of the people who benefited from this tool. He joined a trial, and doctors discovered he had AF, even though he didn't feel any different. Now, he takes medication every day to lower his stroke risk. John says he's "really grateful" they found it.

In the UK, about 1.6 million people know they have AF. But experts believe there are thousands more who don't realize they have it. That's where this AI tool comes in.

The system was created by scientists and doctors in Leeds. Right now, it's being tested in a trial called Find-AF, funded by heart charities and hospitals in the area. The tool uses an algorithm to scan medical records in several GP offices in West Yorkshire. It looks for patterns—things like age, sex, ethnicity, and health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease—that suggest someone might develop AF.

John, a retired Army Catering Corps captain, didn't expect to be diagnosed. He says he never had any symptoms but now takes "a few pills every day" to stay healthy. He hopes the medicine will give him many more good years.

Each year, AF is linked to around 20,000 strokes in the UK. Chris Gale, a heart specialist from the University of Leeds, says AF often goes unnoticed until someone has a stroke. That can turn their life, and their family's life, upside down in an instant.

Dr. Ramesh Nadarajah, also from Leeds, hopes this trial will lead to a nationwide rollout. He believes early diagnosis with tools like this could prevent many strokes. The goal is to help more people get diagnosed and treated before it's too late.

Imagine being able to spot a heart condition before it even shows any symptoms. That's exactly what a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool is doing. This clever system is designed to help doctors identify people who might have atrial fibrillation (AF), a condition where the heart beats irregularly and often too fast. AF is a big deal because it significantly raises the risk of having a stroke.

Here's how it works: the tool goes through GP medical records and looks for "red flags"—warning signs that someone might be at risk. It considers things like age, sex, ethnicity, and whether a person has other health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease. By piecing this information together, the AI can pinpoint who might need a closer look.

Let's take John Pengelly, for example. John is 74 and lives in Bradford. He spent 29 years in the Army Catering Corps and thought he was in pretty good shape. When he got an invitation to join the trial for this AI tool, he didn't expect much to come of it. But the system flagged him as someone at risk, and after some tests, doctors confirmed he had AF.

John didn't have any symptoms—no fluttering heartbeats or dizziness. Yet there it was. Thanks to the trial, he started taking daily medication to reduce his stroke risk. He says he's "really grateful" for the chance to catch it early. Now, he's hopeful the treatment will keep him healthy for many more years.

In the UK, about 1.6 million people know they have AF. But experts think thousands more are living with it without knowing. This is a problem because undiagnosed AF often leads to strokes. In fact, it's linked to around 20,000 strokes in the UK every year. And strokes can be devastating—they can change someone's life in an instant.

That's why this AI tool is so exciting. It was developed by scientists and doctors from the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals. Right now, it's being tested in a project called Find-AF. Funded by heart charities and local hospitals, the trial is taking place in GP surgeries across West Yorkshire.

The idea is simple: if you can find AF early, you can treat it early. And early treatment can dramatically lower the risk of a stroke. This could be a game-changer for so many people.

Professor Chris Gale, a heart specialist at the University of Leeds, explains why this work matters. He says the first sign that someone has AF is often a stroke. By then, it's too late to prevent serious damage. The hope is that tools like this will change that story—helping people get the care they need before a stroke happens.

Dr. Ramesh Nadarajah, also from Leeds, is optimistic about the future. He hopes this trial will pave the way for a UK-wide rollout. If that happens, countless strokes could be avoided. "Ultimately," he says, "we want to see more people diagnosed with AF early, so they can get the treatment they need."

For John, this trial was a lifesaver. Without it, he might never have known he had AF. Now, he takes just a few pills a day, but those pills make all the difference. They've given him peace of mind—and hopefully many more good years ahead.

This AI tool is a reminder of what's possible when technology and healthcare come together. It's not about replacing doctors but helping them work smarter. By spotting problems early, it's giving people a better chance at living healthier, longer lives. And that's something worth celebrating.