The hope for heart attack early detection lies with adopting smarter healthcare

By Assoc. Prof. Dr. Khor Sook Mei

Heart attacks remain one of the deadliest health emergencies worldwide, striking without warning and demanding immediate action. The window of time to intervene is narrow, and early diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death. Yet, despite significant advances in medical technology, we still struggle to diagnose heart attacks fast enough, especially in the critical early stages when symptoms are subtle and harder to detect.

This is where the challenge lies. Currently, most diagnostic devices rely on detecting specific cardiac biomarkers such as troponin or creatine kinase-MB. Unfortunately, these biomarkers only become detectable once heart damage has already occurred—often too late to intervene effectively. In those precious early moments, the threat remains unnoticed, and many lives are lost.

But what if we could change that? What if there were a way to detect a heart attack the moment it begins, even before significant damage is done? This is the mission of my research team. We’ve developed an AI-assisted point-of-care testing (POCT) device that offers a solution to this critical problem. Our technology promises early and accurate diagnosis, long before traditional methods can pick up on the warning signs.

Our POCT device uses a combination of microfluidic paper-based biosensors, colorimetric detection, and machine learning to rapidly diagnose heart attacks on the spot. By measuring multiple biomarkers—such as cardiac troponin, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)—we’ve created a tool that can detect the early onset of heart attacks in real time.

This is more than just a diagnostic device; it’s a significant leap forward in medical care. Unlike conventional tests that require large lab equipment or take hours to yield results, our POCT device is compact, portable, and fast. Most importantly, it integrates artificial intelligence to improve not only diagnosis but also prediction. Using machine learning algorithms, such as CatBoost, we can forecast the likelihood of future heart attacks with high accuracy. This gives doctors the ability to take proactive steps to prevent recurrences, saving lives and improving outcomes for heart attack patients.

A new era for heart health

One may ask: Why haven’t we solved this problem sooner? The answer lies in the complexity of detecting the earliest signs of a heart attack. Existing methods focus on detecting elevated biomarkers, but these only become visible once significant heart tissue damage has already occurred. Our technology breaks through that barrier by identifying ultra-trace biomarkers through highly sensitive detection methods like surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS).

By incorporating AI into the diagnostic process, we’ve created a tool that doesn’t just respond to emergencies—it predicts them. This means doctors can intervene early, long before the heart sustains irreversible damage. Our device is simple to use, cost-effective, and designed to work even in resource-limited settings, making it a practical solution for healthcare systems around the world.

The AI-assisted POCT device we’ve developed has the potential to significantly reduce heart attack-related deaths by providing early, accurate diagnoses and empowering doctors with the tools to predict future attacks. However, to realize this potential, we need to push for the integration of such innovative technologies into healthcare systems on a broad scale.

Here’s the truth: innovation alone isn’t enough. If these new tools are to save lives, they must be adopted in emergency rooms, ambulances, and clinics. Healthcare professionals need training on these new devices, and policymakers need to prioritize the inclusion of cutting-edge diagnostics in public health systems.

Advocating for smarter healthcare

The future of heart attack diagnosis is here, but it needs your support to make an impact. As patients, caregivers, and members of society, we must advocate for the adoption of smarter healthcare technologies that can save lives. Encourage your local hospitals and health clinics to explore AI-driven solutions. Push policymakers to fund and implement innovations that will improve patient outcomes. And for those in the medical field, it’s time to embrace the tools that will enable quicker, more accurate decisions when every second counts.

We cannot afford to wait any longer. The ability to diagnose heart attacks early and predict future risks can revolutionize cardiac care, but it requires action at every level—patients, healthcare providers, and policymakers alike.

^{The author is an associate professor at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, and may be contacted at naomikhor@um.edu.my}