Screening Cardiac Disease in Underprivileged Environments

According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are in 2021 the number one cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. Access to essential noncommunicable disease medicines and basic health technologies in all primary health care facilities is essential to ensure that those in need receive treatment and counselling. However, more than 75% of CVD deaths occur in low and middle income countries, where this access is not guaranteed, and trained clinicians are only available in small numbers. Portable technologies such as electronic stethoscopes and point-of-care ultrasound probes, when enhanced with artificial intelligence and computer assisted decision systems, could be the key to a more successful management of cardiac disease in underprivileged environments.