AI wearable revolutionizes heart attack detection with 92.4% accuracy as obesity-related deaths rise

Cardiovascular diseases affect the heart and blood vessels and stand as the leading cause of death worldwide. The World Health Organization reported that in 2019, about 18 million people died from CVDs, which was 32% of all deaths. Of these, 85% resulted from heart attacks and strokes.

In the United States, the issue is especially alarming. A heart attack claims a life every 40 seconds. Annually, around 800,000 Americans experience a heart attack, with it being the first for 75% of them. Even with advanced healthcare systems, the country shows higher heart attack death rates than other developed nations like Canada, England, and the Netherlands, as observed from a study between 2011 and 2017.

A study from the University of Leeds reviewed over 145 million hospital records over nine years. It revealed that heart attack survivors are at a much higher risk of developing severe health issues later on, such as heart failure, kidney failure, stroke, severe bleeding, type 2 diabetes, and depression.

More than 30% ended up with heart or kidney failure, and 38% died during the study. With obesity-related heart disease deaths in the U.S. having increased by 180% over two decades, a new wearable device that can detect heart attacks with 92.4% accuracy in real-time might help improve health outcomes by enabling quicker diagnosis and treatment.

Severe obesity on the rise in the United States

In tandem with the heart disease crisis, there’s been a quick rise in obesity, especially in its most severe forms. A study from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, which looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2001 and 2023, found that while fewer people are at a normal or slightly overweight BMI, obesity rates climbed by 30% over the past two decades.

Even more worrying is that the number of Americans with a BMI of 60 kg/m² or more has jumped by 210%. This high level of obesity—often more than 200 pounds over an ideal weight—results in reduced mobility, higher healthcare costs, and more health issues.

Dr. Philip Schauer, head of the Metamor Institute at Pennington Biomedical, noted that previous studies didn’t separate this group from general obesity due to lack of detailed classification, leading to an underestimation of its prevalence. It’s now estimated that over 850,000 Americans have such extreme obesity.

It’s not just BMIs above 60 that are increasing. More people are also falling within the BMI range of 50.0 to 59.9 kg/m². Many with severe obesity are disabled, often unable to work, and have frequent hospital stays. Additionally, standard medical equipment often can’t accommodate their weight, making treatment even more difficult.

Obesity-linked heart disease deaths climb sharply

A direct consequence of rising obesity rates is the increased prevalence of heart disease linked to excessive body weight. A study presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions found that from 1999 to 2020, heart disease deaths attributed to obesity rose by 180% in the U.S. When adjusted for age, the death rate among men increased by 243%, while for women it rose by 131%.

Women, particularly younger ones, face an elevated risk of complications following a heart attack. Mayo Clinic researchers previously observed that women are more likely than men to die in hospital after a heart attack and are more prone to having additional risk factors such as atrial fibrillation, diabetes, hypertension, anemia, and a history of stroke. These factors highlight the importance of sex-specific diagnostics and treatment strategies.

AI’s expanding role in cardiac diagnostics

Artificial intelligence is becoming a vital tool in cardiovascular health, offering new pathways for early detection and intervention. A study supported by the British Heart Foundation developed an AI model that uses electrocardiogram (ECG) data to identify women at higher risk of heart disease.

Trained on over one million ECGs from 180,000 patients, more than half of whom were women, the model addresses a critical diagnostic gap. Women often experience misdiagnosis or delays in receiving appropriate cardiac care, and this technology enables physicians to detect abnormalities with greater accuracy and speed.

Separately, researchers at Scripps Research reported success in creating an AI tool that can reconstruct a full 12-lead ECG using data from just three electrodes. This advancement opens the door for broader patient access to high-quality cardiac monitoring using less invasive equipment. Cardiologist Evan Muse emphasized that the capability to gather detailed cardiac data outside of a clinical setting could significantly improve timely diagnoses.

Wearable tech for real-time heart attack detection

A big step forward in responding to heart emergencies has come from the University of Mississippi, where engineers have built a system that can spot heart attacks in real time. Right now, you need hospital equipment like ECGs or blood tests to know if a person is having a heart attack, but these take valuable time. This new system uses a small, smart chip with AI that you can wear on watches or patches. It checks your heart signals and finds heart attacks that can go up to 92.4% accuracy and can do so up to twice as fast as the old methods.

Professor Kasem Khalil, the head of the research, mentioned the importance of making it accurate, portable, and affordable. The team, including co-author Tamador Mohaidat, used advanced math and machine learning to create a system that’s handy for everyday use. This small device could fit into lots of health gadgets you already use.

Spotting heart attacks quickly is crucial, as even a short delay can increase the chance of dangerous outcomes. This system makes it possible to act faster, which could save lives by getting people treated right away.

Apple Inc., well-known in the health tech world, has added ECG features to its Apple Watch. This function alerts users if their heart rhythm is off and saves data for doctors. Apple saw a 5% drop in wearables revenue in Q2 FY2025, but it still leads in personal health tracking and is looking into new devices. With Apple using AI in health features, we might see real-time heart attack detection in future updates.