SUPERHUMAN SPEED: NHS AI Could Detect Heart Disease in Just 2 Seconds
A new artificial intelligence system being tested within the NHS could help doctors identify serious heart conditions in just seconds, raising hopes that technology could play a major role in tackling Britain's growing backlog of cardiac investigations.
The AI, developed by researchers at Imperial College London, has been trained to analyse electrocardiograms, commonly known as ECGs. These are among the most frequently used heart tests and record the electrical activity of the heart.
According to reports, the technology can examine an ECG extremely quickly and identify warning signs that may not be obvious when the same test is assessed by the human eye.
The development comes as hundreds of thousands of people are reportedly waiting for heart-related investigations in the NHS, with lengthy delays creating concerns about how quickly patients at higher risk can be identified.
AI could become an extra pair of eyes for doctors
The technology is not intended to replace cardiologists. Instead, researchers see it as a rapid screening tool that could help medical teams decide which patients need further investigation most urgently.
Professor Fu Siong Ng of Imperial College London said patients can sometimes wait months for an ultrasound scan of the heart after being referred by their doctor.
The hope is that AI could analyse routine ECG results and highlight people who appear to have a greater likelihood of serious heart problems. Those patients could then potentially be prioritised for additional testing.
That could be particularly valuable when hospitals are dealing with large numbers of referrals.
Rather than asking doctors to manually identify every subtle abnormality, an AI system could provide another layer of analysis almost immediately.
Dr Roy Jogiya, chief medical adviser at Heart Research UK, described developments in this area as exciting, while stressing that the most useful role for AI may be as a rapid additional tool rather than a replacement for specialists.
What can the technology detect?
Researchers trained the system using more than 10 million real ECG results. By studying such a large collection of data, the AI was taught to recognise patterns associated with different heart conditions.
Research findings presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Munich suggested that the technology could identify several important conditions with promising levels of accuracy.
One of the areas examined was reduced heart pumping function, which can be associated with heart failure.
The AI identified around 86 per cent of cases in the reported research.
It also showed accuracy of up to 90 per cent when assessing aortic stenosis, a condition in which the aortic valve becomes narrowed and restricts blood flow from the heart.
These figures are potentially significant because some of the information detected by an algorithm may not be readily visible during a conventional visual assessment of an ECG.
Dr Ahmed El-Medany of Imperial College London said there may be substantially more information contained within an ordinary ECG than clinicians can currently recognise simply by looking at it.
That is one of the most interesting possibilities surrounding the technology.
Why speed matters
For someone experiencing possible heart problems, waiting for investigations can be stressful.
For the NHS, delays also create a significant operational challenge. When large numbers of patients are waiting for specialist tests, clinicians need reliable ways to determine who requires the most urgent attention.
An AI system capable of analysing an ECG within seconds could potentially help with that process.
The technology could be used as an early filtering mechanism. A patient whose ECG contains patterns associated with a higher risk might be flagged for additional assessment, while other patients could potentially be managed differently.
However, fast does not automatically mean perfect.
Even an AI system with high accuracy can produce incorrect results. That means the technology would need to operate alongside qualified healthcare professionals and other diagnostic tests.
An ECG alone cannot provide a complete picture of someone's cardiovascular health.
AI is also being explored beyond ECGs
The Imperial College research is part of a much wider effort to investigate whether artificial intelligence can detect health problems from everyday medical information.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have also developed software designed to assess short videos of a person's face and identify indicators associated with conditions such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
Reports suggest that the technology can analyse changes in circulation visible in the face and hands.
The research highlights how AI could eventually become useful in situations where people would not traditionally think of computers as diagnostic tools.
But these technologies remain areas of research and evaluation. Their performance in controlled studies does not necessarily mean they are ready to make independent medical decisions in everyday healthcare.
Could this help reduce NHS waiting lists?
One of the biggest questions is whether AI can translate promising research into practical improvements for patients.
The NHS is under significant pressure from demand for diagnostic services. If AI can safely identify patients who are more likely to have serious heart conditions, it could potentially help hospitals organise referrals more efficiently.
The technology is expected to be tested in NHS hospitals in London and Bristol as part of efforts to assess whether it can help separate higher-risk and lower-risk patients.
If successful, such systems could eventually become an additional part of the diagnostic pathway.
That could mean a routine ECG performed in a GP surgery or hospital being analysed almost immediately, with potential warning signs highlighted for a clinician.
For patients, the biggest potential benefit would not simply be speed. Earlier identification could mean earlier access to appropriate investigations and treatment.
How can you protect your heart health?
While medical technology continues to develop, many of the most effective ways to protect cardiovascular health remain surprisingly familiar.
A balanced diet containing plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and fibre can support heart health. Cutting down on excessive saturated fat and salt can also help manage cholesterol and blood pressure.
Regular physical activity is another important factor.
The NHS recommends that adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity. Strength-based exercise is also recommended on at least two days each week.
Keeping blood pressure under control is particularly important because high blood pressure often causes no obvious symptoms while increasing the risk of serious cardiovascular disease.
Smoking is another major risk factor. Stopping smoking can significantly improve cardiovascular health, and people who want to quit can access support through NHS services.
Alcohol intake should also be kept within recommended limits. The NHS advises adults not to regularly exceed 14 units of alcohol per week.
A promising development, but not a replacement for doctors
The idea of a computer analysing a heart test in only a couple of seconds may sound almost futuristic. Yet AI is increasingly being investigated as a tool for supporting healthcare professionals.
The important point is that speed should work alongside clinical judgement, not replace it.
The NHS trials will help determine whether the technology performs reliably in real-world healthcare settings and whether it can genuinely improve patient care.
If successful, AI could give doctors something valuable: another extremely fast set of eyes capable of spotting patterns that might otherwise be missed.
For patients facing long waits for cardiac investigations, that could eventually make a meaningful difference.
Source
The Sun on 31 August 2026, based on research and comments from Imperial College London, Heart Research UK and related research presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress.
Disclaimer
This article is for general information and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat or rule out heart disease or any other medical condition. AI diagnostic systems are still being researched and evaluated and should not be considered a substitute for assessment by a qualified healthcare professional. If you have symptoms that could indicate a heart attack or another medical emergency, seek urgent medical attention rather than relying on an AI tool or online information.