This marks a significant step forward in detection of Low EF, with the tool detecting this within 15 seconds during a routine physical examination when using an Eko stethoscope.

The Low EF AI will now be added to the company’s Sensora Cardiac Early Detection Platform, which already includes other FDA-approved algorithms for the detection of atrial fibrillation and structural heart murmurs, which are often an indicator of valvular heart disease.

It is intended that after Low EF is detected, healthcare practitioners can expedite treatment with further testing and treatment from cardiology departments.

Connor Landgraf, co-founder and chief executive officer of Eko Health, stated: “The stethoscope, the most recognisable symbol of healthcare, touches the lives of an estimated one billion people around the globe every year. With Eko’s Low EF AI, we’ve transformed the icon of medicine into an AI-powered heart failure early detection tool that can help improve access to care for millions of patients, at a fraction of the time and cost of echocardiography. It’s been a privilege to work alongside Mayo Clinic in this groundbreaking endeavour.”

Dr Paul Friedman, chair of the department of cardiovascular medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, US, added: “The ability to identify a hidden, potentially life-threatening heart condition using a tool that primary care and subspecialist clinicians are familiar with – the stethoscope – can help us prevent hospitalisations and adverse events. Importantly, since a stethoscope is small and portable, this technology can be used in urban and remote locations, and hopefully help address care in underserved areas.”