Microsoft, Apollo Hospitals unveil AI to predict cardiovascular disease risk score

New Delhi: Microsoft India and Apollo Hospitals have partnered to build an artificial intelligence-powered platform, designed to predict the risk of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) in the Indian population.

Under the collaboration, which is part of Microsoft's AI Network for Healthcare initiative, the two entities have launched an AI-powered Cardiovascular Disease Risk Score API (application program interface) that can be used by doctors across the Apollo network of hospitals to predict risk of CVD and drive preventive cardiac care across the country, a statement today said.

Apollo and Microsoft are also engaging global consortium partners to calibrate and scale this intelligent system for other population groups, the statement said.

According to the National Family Health survey by the Health Ministry, one in eight Indians suffers from high blood pressure. The statement noted that while there are various CVD risk models available worldwide, these do not cater specifically to the Indian population.

Built on Microsoft Azure, the said API aims to determine a more accurate CVD risk score for the Indian population, the statement added.

The API has been developed using a combination of applied AI and clinical expertise on a large sample of retrospective data on health checks and coronary events. The scoring considers risk contributors including lifestyle attributes like diet, tobacco and smoking preferences, physical activity as well as psychological stress and anxiety as reflected via rate of respiration, hypertension and systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

The score categorizes risk into high, moderate and minimal and using the insights, physicians can make timely intervention and help patients with the lifestyle modifications needed.

"This partnership is part of our continuing endeavour to design new tools and equip our doctors in the fight against non-communicable diseases. The amalgamation of AI and machine learning with the global expertise of our doctors will help prevent heart disease, save lives and ensure those with heart disease can make informed choices on their health," Apollo Hospitals Joint Managing Director Sangita Reddy said.

This heart risk score for Indian populace is an example of how precision healthcare can accelerate prevention of cardiovascular disease and reduce disease burden, said Microsoft India (R&D) Managing Director Anil Bhansali said.