Virtual hearts could predict the risk of sudden cardiac death

Scientists are using virtual hearts to predict the risk of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS), and the virtual hearts may make more reliable predictions than real hearts.

SADS is often linked to genetics, so scientists at Sydney's Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute created genetically customized virtual hearts. The hearts predict which patients are more likely to suffer from SADS, which is responsible for 1.3 deaths in every 100,000 people.

The hearts will help people with genetic risks for SADS understand the genetic mutations, which include notched T-waves in ECG readouts. The New Scientist notes that these patients can be treated either with drugs or with defibrillators in their chests, and patients can understand the risk sooner thanks to the virtual study.

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