AstraZeneca, a biopharmaceutical company, has partnered with Tricog Health, AI-driven healthcare solutions provider, and the Kenya Cardiac Society (KCS) to conduct a study evaluating the effectiveness of an AI-based Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) model in screening for heart failure.
Launched in May 2024, the study will enroll 10,000 patients and leverage Tricog’s AI electrocardiogram (ECG) algorithm to analyze ECG data—a low-cost and widely available tool—to identify individuals at risk of heart failure (HF). The algorithm can quickly and accurately identify individuals at risk of heart failure, even in the absence of overt symptoms
This comes at a time when heart failure is a major health problem affecting at least 64.3 million people globally, with its epidemiology varying widely within and between countries. According to a study by INTERnational Congestive Heart Failure (INTER-CHF), conducted in 16 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America, reveals that the mortality rate was highest in Africa (34%). In Kenya, heart failure poses a significant health challenge, often going undetected due to a lack of accessible diagnostic tools and the high cost of traditional screening methods, such as echocardiograms.
Commenting on the initiative, Carlo Budree, Director of Commercial IT, Digital and Innovation, Middle East Africa at AstraZeneca, said that while Africa faces complex healthcare challenges, AI has the potential to transform patient outcomes through cost-effective and adaptable solutions.
“Partnership is a crucial component of this initiative, as seen in our successful collaboration with Tricog Health in Kenya. Their InstaECG AI tools provide rapid cardiac diagnosis, reducing the time to detection to just three minutes. This technology allows for the screening and diagnosis of patients regardless of their location,” said Budree.
Initial findings from the first five sites revealed a 15.5 per cent prevalence of heart failure among the screened population, a figure significantly higher than expected. Additionally, 70 per cent of patients exhibited underlying cardiovascular disorders, with 10 per cent of those cases classified as critical, necessitating immediate medical attention. These results highlight the potential of AI-based solutions to identify asymptomatic individuals who may not seek medical help until their condition has progressed significantly.
“The early results from this study are a stark reminder of the hidden burden of heart failure in our communities. By harnessing the power of AI and ECG technology, we are not only detecting heart failure earlier but also empowering healthcare providers with a scalable and cost-effective tool to improve patient care,” said Dr. Bernard Samia, President of KCS and Principal Investigator.
“By combining our expertise in cardiovascular health, AI technology, and local healthcare delivery, we are working to address the unique challenges faced in Kenya and improve outcomes for patients with heart failure,” said Jonathan Calder, Digital and Innovations Lead – MEA at AstraZeneca.
