Credit:from OCC-WCC 2024.

Shanghai, June 28, 2024 - The 18th Oriental Cardiology Conference (OCC 2024) and the World Cardiology Congress (WCC 2024) opened at the Shanghai International Convention Center. During the conference, Professor Junbo Ge, Director of the Cardiology Department at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, predicted that the future of cardiovascular disease diagnosis will be highly intelligent.

Professor Ge, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, referenced the "2022 China Cardiovascular Health and Disease Report," which indicates that cardiovascular disease in China has been explosively increasing for nearly 40 years. The report also states that two out of every five deaths in China are due to cardiovascular diseases. Ge emphasized that the global situation regarding cardiovascular disease prevention and control is equally severe.

Drawing from his extensive clinical experience, Ge stressed the importance of considering patients holistically. He noted that patients with coronary heart disease often have cerebral ischemia and vice versa. Clinical doctors should consider the possibility of multiple related issues when diagnosing a single condition.

Ge, along with Wang Yongjun, President of Beijing Tiantan Hospital, proposed the concept of "pan-vascular disease." This approach integrates endocrine, cardiovascular, renal vascular, and peripheral vascular diseases into a single platform. This platform, involving over 500 hospitals in China, has established disease management centers.

In addition to the establishment of pan-cardiovascular disease management centers, Ge discussed the significant potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and the metaverse, sparking lively discussions among experts at the conference. The concept of the metaverse, originating from the 1992 American novel "Snow Crash," describes a phenomenon where all real-world information can be found in a virtual world. The global consensus is that the metaverse includes rapid information transmission (e.g., IoT, 5G, or future 6G), cloud computing systems, blockchain technology, and virtual models.

Chinese medical professionals believe these elements can effectively integrate patient data, such as ECGs, ultrasound imaging, CTA, nuclear imaging, coronary angiography, FFR, and CT, into a unified platform for better diagnosis.

Thomas Gaziano, Associate Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, highlighted that the metaverse could enable top doctors to serve more patients despite the relative scarcity of cardiovascular specialists. Christopher Kramer, Vice President of the American College of Cardiology, pointed out that AI significantly improves the diagnosis and accuracy of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, especially in cardiac imaging.

Jagat Narula, President-Elect of the World Heart Federation and Professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, stated that disease diagnosis and patient management need to be more precise. The metaverse could provide detailed information for precise intervention, potentially guiding patients on activities and diet.

Dipti Itchhaporia, Associate Professor at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, noted that despite significant advancements in cardiovascular treatment over the past 70 years, patient care and management methods have remained largely unchanged. The metaverse promises to deliver high-quality care to more patients, including those in remote areas, representing a revolutionary shift in patient management.

The discussions on AI and the metaverse brought new perspectives to the conference, suggesting that these emerging technologies could transform global healthcare in the near future.

More information:

https://www.drvoice.cn/v2/special/625