Newly Redesigned App Enables Rapid Screening for Cardiovascular Disease

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Cardiovascular-health-focused digital company Eko announced the launch of a new version of its app that enables screening for cardiovascular disease (CVD) within seconds during a physical exam.

With the redesigned Eko app downloaded on a mobile device of their choice, health care professionals who use the company’s digital stethoscopes will be able to rapidly screen for CVD and analyze readings with Eko’s artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, according to the March 22, 2022 Eko press release.

The AI algorithms were cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2020 to detect heart murmur and atrial fibrillation (AF). In clinical studies, Eko’s AI algorithms have been shown to automatically detect heart murmurs and AF in seconds with similar accuracy to trained professionals.

For example, one study found that the algorithm to identify heart murmurs performed at a sensitivity of 87.6% and specificity of 87.8%. Moreover, the AF algorithm performed at a sensitivity of 98.9% and a specificity of 96.9%, according to the press release. In addition, real-world validation of Eko’s algorithm to detect heart murmurs came from a recent, peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

“Current clinical workflows for detecting heart disease often include expensive tests performed by a specialist in an emergency setting, which makes early diagnosis nearly impossible,” said Adam Saltman, MD, PhD, chief medical officer, Eko, in the press release. “The physical exam offers an opportunity for early detection of heart disease. However, as many as 80% of abnormal heart sounds go unrecognized when exams are performed with a traditional stethoscope. This can delay life-saving treatments for patients.”

The company noted that AF detection is only available when the Eko app is used with Eko DUO ECG + Digital Stethoscope.