Overview

• In a real-world, cluster-randomised trial across more than 200 North West London GP surgeries, 12,725 symptomatic patients were examined with the device and compared against patients in 109 control practices.
• Use of the tool was associated with higher diagnoses over 12 months: 2.33 times for heart failure, 3.45 times for atrial fibrillation, and 1.92 times for heart valve disease.
• The playing card–sized sensor records heart sounds and a rapid ECG in about 15 seconds, sends encrypted data to the cloud for AI analysis, and returns a risk flag to a smartphone.
• Two-thirds of patients flagged as suspected heart failure did not have the condition on confirmatory tests, and researchers advise use in symptomatic patients rather than routine screening.
• Findings were presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress and published in BMJ Open, with researchers planning rollouts to GP practices in Wales, south London and Sussex despite low sustained uptake in many sites.