Viz.ai has teamed up with the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association (HCMA) to support, educate and advance research to improve care for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
Established in 1996, HCMA is an international resource for patients, families, and the medical community, on important matters related to the HCM community.
HCM is a genetic heart muscle disorder, the most commonly inherited cardiovascular disease and one of the leading causes of sudden cardiac death in people below 35 of age.
The disease is characterised by thickened heart muscles, making it harder for the heart to pump blood. It is associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation, mitral valve disease, and heart failure.
HCMA provides services to enhance understanding, provide support, foster research, ensure high-quality health care and support public policies of importance to the HCM community.
HCMA founder and CEO Lisa Salberg said: “Thanks to our partnership with Viz.ai, we now have the opportunity to offer more support, advocacy, and education to patients, families, the medical community, and the public regarding hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
“Together, we can enhance the lives of individuals with HCM, prevent premature deaths, and advance global understanding.
“There have been significant advancements in treatment options for those with HCM in recent years, and our current challenge is to identify and provide access to these new life-improving treatments for those who have been misdiagnosed or undiagnosed.”
According to Viz.ai, patients require two to five years to receive an HCM diagnosis after the onset of symptoms.
The company has developed and deployed the first and only regulatory-cleared machine learning algorithm to detect signs of HCM on routine ECGs.
The tool, dubbed Viz HCM, also directs patients to consult the right specialists to receive the right treatment.
Viz HCM has been shown to help expedite the process to 90 days, from initial AI-powered detection of suspected HCM to diagnosis confirmation.
The company also introduced its HCM Education Series, educational webinars led by experts, including HCM specialists and patient advocates.
Viz.ai chief product officer Gad Sakin said: “We’re thrilled to collaborate with the HCMA and have a positive impact on HCM patient care by addressing the misdiagnosis, and even, underdiagnosis of this disease and the lengthy patient journey.
“We hope that by identifying the disease earlier, we can enable patients with HCM to have a higher quality of life and help risk stratify patients early.”
