The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with electrocardiography (ECG), a technology known as AI-ECG, represents a transformative leap in the field of cardiovascular medicine. This innovative approach has significantly advanced the capabilities of ECG, traditionally used for diagnosing heart diseases. AI-ECG excels in detecting subtle changes and interconnected patterns in cardiac waveforms, offering a level of precision and sensitivity that was previously unattainable with conventional methods. The scope of AI-ECG extends beyond the realm of heart diseases. It has shown remarkable potential in predicting and identifying the impacts of noncardiac conditions on heart health, thereby broadening the diagnostic capabilities of ECG. This is especially valuable given the complex nature of cardiovascular diseases and their interactions with other health conditions. Despite its groundbreaking potential, AI-ECG faces several challenges. One of the primary concerns is the "black box" nature of AI algorithms, which can make the decision-making process opaque and difficult to interpret. This poses a challenge in medical settings where understanding the rationale behind a diagnosis is crucial. Additionally, the effectiveness of AI-ECG is dependent on the quality and diversity of the datasets used to train the algorithms. Limited or biased datasets can lead to inaccuracies and diminish the reliability of the technology. However, the benefits of AI-ECG are significant. It enables faster, more accurate diagnoses and has the potential to greatly enhance the efficiency of cardiovascular care. As research and technology continue to evolve, AI-ECG is poised to become an indispensable tool in the diagnosis and management of heart diseases.
Background The COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of social distancing have been reported to negatively impact cardiovascular-related health behaviors. However, the effects of lifting social distancing restrictions on these health behaviors remain unclear. This study investigated public awareness and behavioral changes related to cardiovascular disease prevention after the end of social distancing.
Methods Between June 5 and June 12, 2023, 2,000 adults participated in the 2023 Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Awareness Survey in Korea. The survey comprehensively addressed sociodemographic factors, cardiometabolic disease history, cardiovascular disease concern, prevention awareness, and behavioral changes after the end of social distancing. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between behavioral changes and sociodemographic factors.
Results Cardiovascular disease ranked as the second most feared disease (most feared, 18.0%; second most feared, 26.3%) after cancer (most feared, 42.3%; second most feared, 21.7%). Among nine cardiovascular disease prevention recommendations, stress management, being physically active, and maintaining a healthy diet were perceived as the most challenging recommendations. After the end of social distancing, there were more positive changes than negative changes in smoking, alcohol consumption, dietary habits, physical activity, and healthcare service use, whereas stress management more frequently changed negatively (40.0%) than it changed positively (19.5%).
Conclusions Positive changes in cardiovascular-related health behaviors, except for stress management, were observed after the end of social distancing. Further research is necessary to fully comprehend the impact of discontinuing social distancing practices.
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has been the most pressing health challenge in recent years. Meanwhile, prevention for other diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been less prioritized during the pandemic. COVID-19, a novel infectious disease, both had a direct impact on public health and provoked changes in health-related behaviors, including those for CVD prevention. This study sought to examine changes in CVD-related health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic and related sociodemographic factors.
Methods We used data from the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Awareness Survey conducted in Korea in June 2022. A total of 2,000 adults across Korea’s 17 provinces completed a structured questionnaire online or on a mobile device. Self-reported changes in CVD-related health behaviors were investigated. We used unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models to explore the associations between negative changes and sociodemographic factors.
Results In smoking, drinking, and healthcare service use, the proportion of those with positive changes surpassed the proportion of respondents who reported negative changes. In contrast, negative changes predominated for diet, exercise, and stress. Most individuals (52.6%) reported a deterioration of psychological distress. These negative changes were significantly associated with age, sex, marital status, and the presence of cardiometabolic disease.
Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has affected CVD-related health behaviors. Based on these changes, CVD prevention should be encouraged with appropriate and prioritized strategies.
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Background The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is significant in Korea. Ultimately, public knowledge and awareness of CVD risk factors and prevention are essential to reduce its burden. Hence, this study aimed to examine the level of public awareness of CVD risk factors and prevention in Korea in 2022.
Methods We used data from the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Awareness Survey conducted by the Korean Society of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in June 2022. Using a structured web-based questionnaire, 2,000 individuals aged 20 years or more were surveyed on computers or mobile devices. Information on sociodemographic characteristics, the presence of cardiometabolic disease, CVD concerns and self-assessed likelihood, and awareness of CVD prevention were analyzed.
Results Cancer (44.3%) was the most feared disease, followed by CVD (19.5%). Nevertheless, most respondents stated that they were likely to develop CVD in their lifetime (67.4%). Only 9.2% of respondents were aware of the details of recommendations to prevent CVD, and this level of knowledge was also low among respondents with cardiometabolic diseases (10.7%). Not smoking, being physically active, eating a healthy diet, and reducing alcohol consumption were deemed easy to implement. On the contrary, reducing stress, being physically active, and eating a healthy diet were considered the most difficult recommendations to practice.
Conclusions Public awareness of CVD risk factors and prevention appeared to be insufficient in Korea. Our research suggests that simple but practical recommendations should be conveyed and promoted to raise public awareness, which is currently inadequate.
Background Since a sedentary lifestyle is considered a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), physical activity (PA) is recommended for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients to prevent CVD. We investigated the association between different levels of PA and the risk for CVD and all-cause mortality in patients with T2DM using nationwide data.
Methods We examined health examination data and claims records of 2,745,637 participants with T2DM at baseline from the Korean National Health Insurance Service who underwent health examinations between 2009 and 2012. We excluded subjects with a history of myocardial infarction or stroke. Each participant was asked to report their weekly PA levels according to three categories: vigorous, moderate, and walking. The incidence of CVD and death was analyzed until 2017.
Results The risk of CVD was lower in regular exercisers than in nonexercisers after adjusting for confounding variables. A dose-response trend was evident in the association between the degree of PA and CVD risk. All categories of PA were inversely associated with CVD risk and mortality. The reduction in CVD risk and all-cause mortality was more profound in patients aged ≥65 years.
Conclusions Augmenting PA might have positive effects on the prevention of CVD and all-cause death, especially in the elderly. The benefits of PA were consistently observed in various subgroups regardless of the presence of chronic conditions. Therefore, clinicians should encourage elderly patients with T2DM to increase their daily PA.
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The risk of stroke recurrence is highest in the acute phase after transient ischemic attack (TIA) or ischemic stroke. Therefore, patients with TIA or ischemic stroke should be treated with antiplatelet medication for stroke prevention. The short-term use of dual antiplatelet therapy between 21 and 90 days may be considered in those with acute minor stroke or TIA and highrisk of recurrence. However, the long-term use of dual antiplatelet therapy is not recommended due to the risk of bleeding. The current stroke guideline does not specify the administration of an antiplatelet for the secondary prevention of ischemic stroke. However, as clinical studies progress, antiplatelet therapy may become a personalized treatment in the future.
Hypertension is a common chronic disease affecting a large section of the general population. As hypertension is usually asymptomatic, awareness, treatment and control rates are low. Drug side-effects also affect compliance. Hypotension and electrolyte abnormalities in the elderly can be severe. Therefore, prevention is better than cure. As blood pressure rises with age, prevention should be started early. As there are many genes affecting blood pressure, genetic tests are not useful. Good antenatal care and care of preterm infants can help to prevent adult cardiovascular diseases including hypertension. Childhood obesity is an important determinant of blood pressure in childhood and adolescence. This is a window of opportunity for prevention. The current American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline on hypertension defines stage 1 hypertension as a systolic blood pressure of 130–139 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure of 80–89 mmHg. Although this makes many people in the general population hypertensive, stage 1 hypertension in young adults is already associated with increased cardiovascular and mortality risk. Fortunately, hypertension at this early stage is easy to control and weight loss is easier in young males, who can get exercise from work or exercise after work. Leisure-time physical activity seems more beneficial than occupational physical activity. Cardiovascular risk assessment and promoting a healthy lifestyle in the young are likely to forestall hypertension and future cardiovascular disease. Preventing or reversing hypertension is no longer an impossible dream.
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The number of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasing worldwide and that in Korea, particularly, has shown an exponential increase with a rise in the older population. The diabetic population is predicted to soar up to 6 million by 2050. The prevalence of diabetes among Korean adults is approximately 15%, while that of prediabetes is 25%, with a total prevalence of 40%. As 40% of the prediabetes cases subsequently progress to T2D, prevention through proactive interventions at the prediabetes stage is essential to reduce the socioeconomic burden due to T2D and the complications of diabetes. With regard to the prevention of T2D, new findings have been published related to the implementation of lifestyle interventions such as exercise and diet as well as drug treatments and surgeries, which have deepened our understanding of the prevention of T2D. Based on published evidence, this review aimed to examine the methods used in the prevention of diabetes.