Left ventricular systolic dysfunction

New research in Annals of Family Medicine explores the use of artificial intelligence, apps, and tablets to detect dementia, heart dysfunction, and hearing loss in primary care settings PROVIDENCE, R.I., April 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Four new original research articles published in Annals of Family Medicine examine how digital tools are being tested to support earlier detection of cognitive decline, heart dysfunction, and hearing loss in primary care. From tablet-based assessments to AI-enabled screenings, these studies point to both the promise and the practical challenges of using digital innovations in clinical environments. Highlights from the four early access studies include: Continue Reading This visual abstract highlights results from the study titled "Artificial Intelligence Tools for Preconception Cardiomyopathy Screening Among Women of Reproductive Age" Dementia screening in older adults Two related studies from Indiana University tested a digital cognitive assessment tool for patients aged 65 and older across seven diverse primary care clinics. The first study found that nearly half of patients screened showed possible signs of cognitive impairment. A second companion study focused on implementation, showed that maintaining clinician engagement depended on allowing flexibility in workflow design across clinics. Screening rates increased throughout the 12-month study, and a brain-health navigator, who was a registered nurse, was introduced to support patients with positive screenings and assist clinicians with follow-up assessments. AI-enabled cardiovascular screening in women A Mayo Clinic pilot study evaluated whether AI-driven tools using electrocardiograms and a digital stethoscope could detect heart dysfunction in women of reproductive age. In the diagnostic cohort, which included women already scheduled for echocardiograms, the tools showed strong performance in identifying left ventricular systolic dysfunction (cardiomyopathy). In the screening cohort, made up of young women seen in routine primary care, the rate of positive screens was low, suggesting that the need for confirmatory echocardiograms is likely to be acceptable if routine screening is implemented. Tablet-based hearing screening in French family practice A study conducted in private family practices in France tested the feasibility of tablet-based hearing screenings using Bluetooth headphones. Out of 516 eligible patients, 219 completed the screening at their primary care visits. On average, it took about six minutes per patient to complete the process, including consent and instructions. Although 27 percent screened positive for hearing impairment, only a small number followed through with specialty care. An accompanying editorial emphasizes that the value of digital screening tools lies not only in what they do, but in how they are implemented. It calls for adaptable workflows, team-based care, and systems that support clinicians and patients beyond the moment of screening. "In a time when news headlines tout the inevitability of algorithms replacing clinicians, these examples show that digital tools work best when they augment rather than replace them," the authors write. All four original research studies and the accompanying editorial are available now as early access publications in the Annals of Family Medicine. Article Cited: Feasibility and Acceptability of Implementing a Digital Cognitive Assessment for Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias in Primary Care Nicole R. Fowler, PhD, MHSA; Dustin B. Hammers, PhD; Anthony J. Perkins, MS; Diana Summanwar, MD; Anna Higbie; Kristen Swartzell, PhD, RN; Jared R. Brosch, MD; Deanna R. Willis, MD, MBA Agile Implementation of a Digital Cognitive Assessment for Dementia in Primary Care Diana Summanwar, MD; Nicole R. Fowler, PhD, MHSA; Dustin B. Hammers, PhD, ABPP-CN; Anthony J. Perkins, MS; Jared R. Brosch, MD; Deanna R. Willis, MD, MBA Artificial Intelligence Tools for Preconception Cardiomyopathy Screening Among Women of Reproductive Age Anja Kinaszczuk, DO; Andrea Carolina Morales-Lara, MD; Wendy Tatiana Garzon-Siatoya, MD; Sara El-Attar, MD; Adrianna D. Clapp, MD; Ifeloluwa A. Olutola, MD; Ryan Moerer; Patrick Johnson, MS; Mikolaj A. Wieczorek, MS; Zachi I. Attia, PhD; Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, MS, MD; Paul A. Friedman, MD; Rickey E. Carter, PhD; Peter A. Noseworthy, MD, MBA; Demilade Adedinsewo, MD, MPH Hearing Screening in Private Family Practice Medicine Using Tablet Applications Maria El Mouahidine; Arnaud Génin; Frédéric Venail; Jean-Luc Puel; Jean-Charles Ceccato Information Technology in Primary Care Screenings: Ready for Prime Time? Bhrandon Harris, MD, FAAFP, FAMIA; Karl Kochendorfer, MD, FAAFP, FAMIA; Memoona Hasnain, MD, MHPE, PhD; Masahito Jimbo, MD, PhD, MPH, FAAFP Annals of Family Medicine is an open access, peer-reviewed, indexed research journal that provides a cross-disciplinary forum for new, evidence-based information affecting the primary care disciplines. Launched in May 2003, Annals of Family Medicine is sponsored by seven family medical organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Board of Family Medicine, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, the Association of Departments of Family Medicine, the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, the North American Primary Care Research Group, and the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Annals of Family Medicine is published online six times each year, charges no fee for publication, and contains original research from the clinical, biomedical, social, and health services areas, as well as contributions on methodology and theory, selected reviews, essays, and editorials. Complete editorial content and interactive discussion groups for each published article can be accessed for free on the journal's website, . SOURCE Annals of Family Medicine WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

TUESDAY, April 1, 2025 -- Subclinical cardiac dysfunction is associated with brain imaging markers of neurodegeneration, according to a study published online March 26 in Neurology . Amber Yaqub, from Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and colleagues leveraged data from seven prospective, community-based cohorts across Europe and the United States to examine associations between cardiac function, clinical heart failure, and structural markers on brain magnetic resonance imaging. Data were included for 10,889 participants (mean age, 66.8 years). The researchers found a consistent association for markers of systolic dysfunction with smaller total brain volume (TBV; e.g., adjusted standardized mean difference for moderate-to-severe dysfunction, −0.19). Associations were also seen for impaired relaxation and restrictive diastolic dysfunction with smaller TBV (e.g., for impaired relaxation, −0.08) and hippocampal volume (−0.18); results were similar for E/A-ratio. No consistent association was seen for systolic and diastolic dysfunction with volume of white matter hyperintensities. Overall, 3.4 percent of participants from five cohorts with available data had clinical heart failure, which was associated with smaller brain volume, especially in the hippocampus (−0.13). "These results highlight the importance of preserving cardiac function for promoting brain health during aging and encourage further investigations into the complex interplay between cardiac and brain health," the authors write. Abstract/Full Text Editorial (subscription or payment may be required) Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

THURSDAY, March 27, 2025 -- Heart disease might contribute to the sort of brain shrinkage seen in dementia , a new study says. People with early signs of heart problems are more likely to have brain changes associated with dementia, researchers reported on March 26 in the journal Neurology . Specifically, people whose hearts aren’t pumping blood efficiently are more likely to have smaller brain volumes than people with healthy hearts, researchers found. The study “shows that even mild … dysfunction is associated with adverse brain health,” senior researcher Dr. Frank Wolters , a senior scientist with Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, said in a news release. “Evaluating people who have heart problems … for problems with memory and thinking skills could help us detect any cognitive decline early and start interventions,” Wolters added. For the study, researchers pooled data from seven studies in Europe and the U.S. which measured people’s heart function and scanned their brains using MRI. In all, the studies included nearly 11,000 people. Results showed that people with moderate to severe systolic dysfunction -- where the heart can’t contract normally and pump efficiently -- tended to have smaller total brain volumes than those with healthy hearts. In addition, people with diastolic dysfunction -- where the heart doesn’t properly relax and fill with blood between heartbeats -- had smaller brain volumes, especially in the hippocampus, the brain region that plays an important role in memory. Even heart symptoms that don’t amount to full-blown heart failure were linked to smaller brain volumes, researchers said. Shrinking brain volumes have been linked to mild cognitive impairment and dementia, researchers noted. “This review shows that better heart health is associated with larger brain volumes, suggesting that the preservation of heart function could help maintain brain health and memory and thinking skills during the aging process,” Wolters said. However, he added that additional studies are needed to further investigate why heart problems might affect brain health. Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.