Eko Health announced today that the FDA cleared its Low EF (ejection fraction) detection AI platform for its digital stethoscope.
Using an Eko stethoscope, providers can now detect Low EF — a heart failure indicator — in 15 seconds during a routine physical exam. Low EF AI embeds rapid, accessible low EF detection into a standard stethoscope exam on the front lines of care.
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San Francisco-based Eko developed the Low EF AI function in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Paul Friedman, chair of the Dept. of Cardiovascular Medicine at Mayo Clinic said the new capabilities can help prevent hospitalizations 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,” Friedman said.
Eko plans to add the Low EF AI to its Sensora platform that uses AI in cardiac disease detection. The platform already features FDA-cleared algorithms for identifying AFib and structural heart murmurs.
“The stethoscope, the most recognizable symbol of healthcare, touches the lives of an estimated one billion people around the globe every year,” said Connor Landgraf, co-founder & CEO of Eko Health. “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 endeavor.”
