A case of artificial intelligence-enhanced diagnostics leading to heart transplantation

The article describes a case of a patient in whom structural heart disease was detected using an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm for electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis, which might otherwise have been missed due to an atypical presentation. Structural heart diseases, which affect the valves, walls, and chambers of the heart, are a significant contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although early diagnosis and treatment are associated with improved outcomes, these diseases remain underdiagnosed because echocardiography, the gold standard for diagnosis, is time-consuming, costly, and not uniformly accessible. The SAGE trial (Structural Heart Disease Diagnosis using Artificial Intelligence in the Emergency Department) evaluates the effect of AI-ECG screening on the diagnosis and management of structural heart diseases in emergency department patients. AI-enhanced ECG analysis represents a scalable approach for early detection of cardiovascular disease, particularly in patients with limited access to outpatient medical care.