28-05-2025
New programme with AI tools to improve heart health among elderly set to reach 60,000 a year
Mr Teo Yong Choon, who had a heart attack in 2017, will now be assessed using two AI tools as part of the new programme when he goes for check-ups at the National Heart Centre Singapore. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
New programme with AI tools to improve heart health among elderly set to reach 60,000 a year
SINGAPORE – When former engineer Teo Yong Choon woke up in the middle of the night in 2017 , breaking out in cold sweat with intermittent chest pains, he tried to sleep it off.
But when the pain hit with increasing frequency the next morning, his wife persuaded him to go to the emergency department.
It turned out that he was having a heart attack. Almost immediately, he was wheeled into emergency surgery and had three stents put in his heart.
'I think it was because I did not take any cholesterol medication even though my readings were high back then,' said Mr Teo.
It took him six months to return to his original fitness level of being able to jog slowly for 20 minutes.
Eight years on, the 71-year-old retiree has changed his diet of greasy local favourites to low-carb and higher-protein meals. He is also on medication to prevent a second heart attack.
When he goes back for check-ups at the National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS), he will now be assessed using two artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
These tools will help doctors in identifying any early signs of deterioration in Mr Teo's condition and assessing whether he is at increased risk of experiencing another heart attack.
The new tools are rolled out as part of a new programme launched to prevent and detect cardiovascular disease earlier in older adults at NHCS.
Called Cardiovascular Ageing and Longevity Programme, or Crane, the initiative was announced at a media briefing on May 28 at the centre. It is expected to reach about 60,000 patients a year over the next three to five years.
In 2023, cardiovascular disease accounted for almost one in three deaths in Singapore.
The initiative encompasses three broad areas of improving clinical care, expanding its clinical research programme, and educating healthcare professionals and patients on geriatric cardiology.
Associate Professor Angela Koh, director of Crane, said the AI tools can provide clinicians with more insights that enable them to intervene earlier.
One tool, 3DGait, can help spot early signs of fragility by analysing the way a person stands up and then walks from a sitting position.
'If you are pre-frail, your risk of having heart disease may actually be higher,' said Prof Koh, referring to a risk state where a person is likely to actually become frail.
'If you have had a heart disease, you really want to detect pre-frailty because by doing so, you avoid the next deterioration,' said Prof Koh, who is also a senior consultant at NHCS' department of cardiology.
Another tool that will help doctors make more accurate assessments is Medi-Kiosk, which can obtain not just basic health metrics such as body mass index and blood pressure but also detailed body composition data including skeletal muscle mass, visceral fat and fluid levels.
'Information like fluid status is important because water retention is an important manifestation of heart failure,' added Prof Koh.
Under Crane, NHCS will also advance research in areas such as the fundamental mechanisms of cardiovascular ageing and investigate the gender differences in these mechanisms.
The team will also conduct research focusing on specific groups, including geriatric cardio-oncology, regenerative cardiovascular medicine and population health strategies.
Professor Yeo Khung Keong, the centre's chief executive, said: 'With our extensive expertise in cardiovascular care and research, NHCS is well poised to spearhead this transformative programme that will not only benefit our local population but also contribute to valuable insights on cardiovascular ageing to the broader medical community across Asia-Pacific.'
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