AI-Enabled Stethoscope Enhances Detection of Heart Valve Disease

Recent research demonstrates that an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled digital stethoscope significantly improves the identification of moderate to severe valvular heart disease during routine clinical evaluations. The study, titled 'Artificial-Intelligence-Enabled Digital Stethoscope Improves Point-of-Care Screening for Moderate to Severe Valvular Heart Disease,' was published in the European Heart Journal - Digital Health on 5 February 2026.

Conducted in the United States, the study involved 357 patients over the age of 50 with known risk factors for heart disease. Participants were assessed using both traditional and AI-enabled stethoscopes as part of a single-arm, single-blinded, prospective study. The median age of participants was 70, with 61.9% being women.

The findings revealed that the AI-enabled stethoscope achieved a sensitivity of 92.3% in detecting heart sound patterns indicative of valvular heart disease, compared to just 46.2% using a traditional stethoscope. Valvular heart disease affects over half of adults aged 65 and older but is frequently undiagnosed due to subtle or non-specific symptoms that may lead healthcare professionals to overlook the condition.

Dr. Rosalie McDonough, Senior Author of the study, underscored the significance of these findings: "Valvular heart disease is unfortunately very common among older adults, yet it often goes undetected until symptoms become advanced. This means that patients can experience complications.... We hope this technology will allow patients to get faster access to an echocardiogram to formally diagnose their condition."

The AI-enabled stethoscope operates by capturing high-fidelity heart sounds and utilizing machine-learning algorithms that have been trained to identify acoustic patterns relating to valvular heart disease. Traditional stethoscopes depend heavily on a clinician's auditory skills, which can be compromised by factors such as background noise or time constraints.

Patients flagged as at risk for valvular disease will subsequently be referred for echocardiography to confirm diagnosis. Dr. McDonough also noted an additional benefit observed during the study: patients tended to be more engaged in their consultations with the AI-enabled device, as they could see and hear the findings being discussed, which may build trust and encourage adherence to follow-up treatment.

The study's authors cautioned that the AI-enabled stethoscope did show a minor decrease in specificity, which could raise the likelihood of false positives. They argued, however, that this risk is outweighed by the benefits of earlier detection. They also highlighted the need for further research to examine the technology's performance across broader clinical contexts and diverse populations.

In concluding remarks, Dr. McDonough stated, "This research adds to a growing body of evidence that artificial intelligence can enhance traditional clinical tools... in a practical way that does not replace health professionals but gives them tools to have more confidence in their assessment of patients."