Research on Prosthetic Heart Valve, AI-Based Cardiac Monitoring Are Future Areas: Doctors

 Hyderabad: Research is underway on a prosthetic mechanical heart valve designed to minimise the need for long-term anticoagulation. The use of AI-enabled devices and smart watches to detect irregular heart rhythms and assist doctors is another area of cardiac research, said doctors ahead of World Heart Day on Tuesday.

Dr Lokeswara Rao Sajja, senior consultant, cardiothoracic surgery, and founder, Sajja Heart Foundation, said the prosthetic valve could have potential applications in children, younger patients, women, who may become pregnant and older patients requiring mechanical valve replacement.

The proposed valve is designed to use a local mechanism at the valve to prevent clot formation instead of relying on systemic blood-thinning medication. The research has so far included laboratory and animal studies, while further studies and publication are required before its use in humans can be considered, he said.

The technology could have applications in children, for whom mechanical valves are often considered as tissue valves may not be suitable in smaller sizes and may require replacement as the child grows, he added.

Apart from prosthetic valves, research is also being planned on the use of artificial intelligence and wearable devices to assess whether patients are fit to undergo bypass surgery.

The proposed study would use smart watches and wearable belts to collect data on heart rate and other parameters over about a week. The data would be used to calculate a patient's frailty index and assess whether the patient could tolerate major cardiac surgery.

The approach is still at the planning and modelling stage and has not started as a clinical programme. Patients found to have poor fitness for surgery could be evaluated for other treatment options, Dr Sajja said.

AI is also being explored to improve diagnostic accuracy and assist treatment decisions. However, AI would remain an assisting tool, with doctors continuing to take responsibility for clinical decisions, he said.

A new generation of AI-powered long-term cardiac monitoring technology is also set to enter the Indian market, said Dr Ramana Jagarlamudi.

The technology, developed by Kardi Ai, a Czech HealthTech company, combines a wearable ECG chest strap, mobile connectivity and AI-supported ECG analysis to enable long-term heart-rhythm monitoring while patients continue their normal activities.

The ECG data is recorded through the wearable device and analysed using AI. After the monitoring period, the data and analysis can be made available to doctors on their screens to help them identify possible risks and advise patients, Dr Ramana said.

A conventional ECG provides a short recording of the heart's electrical activity, while a Holter monitor typically records cardiac activity for a defined period, often 24 hours. The AI-based system is designed to extend the monitoring period, allowing doctors to access ECG data collected over a longer duration and identify intermittent cardiac rhythm abnormalities that may otherwise go undetected.