Researchers from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), and international partners have successfully validated the use of an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered digital stethoscope to help detect heart failure in low-resource settings.

The study, known as the DAMSUN-HF Study, is the first of its kind in Africa.

Heart failure, especially Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF), is one of the leading causes of illness and death in Sub-Saharan Africa. Diagnosing the condition usually requires access to echocardiography machines and trained specialists, which are limited in many district and community health centers. This often leads to late diagnosis and poor outcomes.

The DAMSUN-HF Study tested whether an AI-enabled digital stethoscope could provide an earlier and more accessible way to identify patients at risk.

The research involved 115 adults across four healthcare facilities in Ghana. Patients who came in with symptoms such as shortness of breath, swelling, or difficulty breathing were examined using the SENSORA™ AI digital stethoscope, which listens to heart sounds and uses AI to determine whether the heart’s pumping strength (ejection fraction) is reduced.

Participants then underwent echocardiography at a tertiary center within a week, allowing researchers to compare the AI results with standard hospital imaging.

The study found that the AI system was highly accurate, correctly identifying 97% of patients who had reduced heart function. It also showed a 94% accuracy rate for ruling out the condition, meaning it can effectively help frontline clinicians decide who needs urgent referral for specialist care.

Lead investigators Dr. Alexis K. Okoh (Northside Hospital Heart Institute and Emory University) and Dr. Lambert T. Appiah (KNUST/KATH) were happy about the potential of AI tools in expanding access to cardiac care.

The study was supported by the Global Access to Cardiovascular Therapeutics and Diagnostics (G-ACT) Foundation, with EKO Health providing digital stethoscopes for the research.

The findings were presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in November 2025 and will be featured in the journal Circulation.