Researchers at the University of Cambridge (UK) are preparing to launch an artificial intelligence and polygenic risk score (PRS) app that will allow clinicians to identify patients’ hereditary predisposition to heart disease and also provide personalized data on how much the high-risk group needs to reduce their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and systolic blood pressure levels.

In addition, the app will be able to be used not only by doctors, but also by patients, allowing them to determine their own cardiovascular parameters. The scientists note that the polygenic index accommodates data on millions of genetic variants in a single result. It is worth noting that this overall result does not provide information on the causes of the risk group, the potential for risk reduction, or the success of the actions taken.

The introduction of artificial intelligence will help to remove this limitation. The assessment combines more than 4 million variants to estimate inherited risk of cardiovascular disease. The study used data from previous trials to determine how much lower cholesterol or systolic blood pressure patients in different risk groups needed to reduce their risk of developing disease.

The researchers looked at data from more than 400,000 patients – members of the UK Biobank – using artificial intelligence to determine cholesterol and systolic blood pressure levels in an above-average risk group. The findings were compared with those of a group of patients with different cardiovascular diseases. The analysis shows that most patients (even those in the high-risk group) will be able to reduce their risk of hereditary cardiovascular disease by controlling their cholesterol or systolic blood pressure for life.

The scientific study demonstrates how the introduction of artificial intelligence can enhance the power of polygenic risk assessment. The AI tool allows the data to be extended and detailed, determining how an individual should regulate cholesterol and/or blood pressure to reduce polygenic predisposition. By the end of this year, the research team plans to test the application in the real world to evaluate the AI tool’s ability to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

The researchers also believe that this innovative solution will have a positive impact on communication between doctors and patients, as the tool will not only inform patients about their current condition and risks, but also offer them specific solutions to improve their health.