AI can detect heart disease in women using mammograms, study suggests
Source: Guardian Health ↗ (cross-verified by 2 outlets — full list below)
Researchers in Israel have demonstrated that routine mammograms, traditionally used to screen for breast cancer, can also be leveraged to detect cardiovascular disease in women. By applying artificial‑intelligence algorithms to 97,364 mammographic scans from 29,921 women with an average age of 54, the team identified markers of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and prior stroke. Cross‑referencing these images with medical records revealed that 16 % of the participants had hypertension, while 2.5 % each suffered from coronary disease or had experienced a stroke. The machine‑learning model correctly flagged stroke cases 86 % of the time and identified high blood pressure and coronary disease with accuracies of 79 % and 78 % respectively, regardless of age or concurrent breast cancer status. The findings were presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s annual congress in Munich, underscoring a potential dual‑purpose use for mammography that could reach millions of women worldwide.
The significance of this breakthrough lies in addressing the chronic underdiagnosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among women, the leading cause of death in this population. Dr Viana Copeland of Tel Aviv University highlighted that women often present with advanced CVD only after symptoms become severe, whereas many attend regular breast‑cancer screenings even in the absence of cardiac complaints. By extracting heart‑health information from an already widespread imaging modality, the approach could provide a scalable, cost‑effective means of early risk detection without additional tests, particularly targeting midlife women when cardiovascular risk begins to rise. Experts emphasized that this could shift the paradigm of preventive care, offering a “window on to cardiovascular health” through a familiar, widely accepted procedure.
The research community is now focused on refining the AI model to improve precision, reduce false positives, and expand the range of detectable cardiac conditions. European Society of Cardiology communication committee member Elena Arbelo described the results as “compelling,” noting the need to move from experimental validation to clinical implementation. Similarly, British Heart Foundation cardiologist Dr Sonya Babu‑Narayan praised the potential to combat the myth that heart disease is a predominantly male issue, stressing that a proven dual‑purpose mammogram could enhance early detection and prevention for women. Ongoing collaborations aim to bolster the algorithm’s reliability, paving the way for integration into national breast‑screening programs and ultimately broadening the impact of existing preventive health infrastructure.
⚡ Effects Interpreter
🌍World Economylow impact
What this means for you
- ▶International capital can shift direction faster than headlines suggest.
- ▶Growth projections drawn up in distant capitals may need a rethink.
🏙️Local Economylow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Community shops might gradually reprice stock as costs shift upstream.
- ▶Jobs and trade close to home might feel a soft knock-on effect.
🏦Rates & Bankslow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Savings rates can lag behind a story like this by weeks, not days.
- ▶Savers might glance at their account rate — lenders adjust after big events.
❤️Healthlow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Reassurance from a professional usually goes further than headlines do.
- ▶Families touched by this might find comfort in checking the facts.
💷Wealthlow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Time off work for health reasons can add up faster than people expect.
- ▶Private treatment costs, where relevant, may shift as demand changes.
🏠Housinglow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Renters may see costs drift a touch as landlords weigh their own bills.
- ▶Buyers and renters may notice only a soft drift, if anything at all.
🌍 Effects for your country
The U.S.'s central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The U.S.'s economy is growing at 2.3% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the U.S.'s own central bank rate closely. With the U.S.'s unemployment at 4.4%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the U.S. depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UK's central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UK's economy is growing at 0.8% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UK's own central bank rate closely. With the UK's unemployment at 5.6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UK depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
France's central bank rate currently stands at 2%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. France's economy is growing at 0.9% with inflation at 1.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track France's own central bank rate closely. With France's unemployment at 7.9%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is already under strain. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in France depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
Romania's central bank rate currently stands at 6.5%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. Romania's economy is growing at 0.7% with inflation at 7.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track Romania's own central bank rate closely. With Romania's unemployment at 6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in Romania depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UAE's central bank rate currently stands at 3.65%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UAE's economy is growing at 3.1% with inflation at 2.5%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UAE's own central bank rate closely. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UAE depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.