Global healthcare company Omron Healthcare has announced a joint research project with Kyoto University in Japan to develop AI (artificial intelligence) analysis technology aimed at preventing the worsening of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, utilizing biometric data measured at home in medical settings as part of a 'healthcare medical AI' initiative.
Through this collaboration with Kyoto University, Omron Healthcare aims to develop AI technology that can detect early signs of complications from cardiovascular diseases such as cerebral hemorrhage, stroke, and myocardial infarction with high accuracy, based on biometric data measured at home using devices like blood pressure monitors. The development of such technology is expected to enable the prevention of severe progression of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, drawing significant interest from the medical community.
Starting in June, the joint research between Omron Healthcare and Kyoto University will focus on developing AI technology that analyzes daily life environment data such as daytime and nighttime blood pressure trends measured by home blood pressure monitors, electrocardiogram data, and subjects' lifestyle habits, to recommend optimized blood pressure improvement solutions tailored to each individual.
The joint research team announced that they plan to conduct two major studies aimed at preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
The first study aims to derive new blood pressure management methods that can help improve blood pressure in hypertensive patients. The goal is to develop AI technology that analyzes personal biometric data such as weight, body composition, activity level, sodium and potassium levels, as well as lifestyle data including smoking and drinking habits, to recommend personalized blood pressure management strategies.
The second study will focus on the early detection of cardiovascular complications such as stroke and myocardial infarction. Since most cardiovascular diseases like stroke and myocardial infarction occur suddenly without warning, early detection and response are challenging. The joint research team plans to have AI analyze and report trends in various vital data measured at home, enabling more accurate and faster identification of cardiovascular diseases and complications so that timely treatment can be administered.
Hypertension, the leading risk factor for death worldwide, is steadily increasing in prevalence in South Korea as well. One in three adults is hypertensive, and hypertension can cause cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke, significantly reducing quality of life. Despite this, the rate of active treatment remains low, highlighting the need for improved awareness, heightened vigilance, and proactive treatment to improve blood pressure levels.
According to medical experts, preventing hypertension complications requires active intervention and measures to help patients overcome difficulties in improving blood pressure. Even after blood pressure improves, continuous monitoring using home blood pressure monitors and daily health management to detect early signs of complications are essential.
Therefore, the joint research by Omron and Kyoto University is expected to significantly contribute to blood pressure management and improvement for high-risk groups and hypertensive patients, with keen interest in whether AI technology can be developed to enable early detection and treatment intervention for hypertension complications.
Leading the research, Omron Healthcare set the vision of "Going for Zero" in 2015, aiming to achieve zero occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease complications. Since then, it has provided chronic disease management services such as for hypertension through innovative products and technologies including smartwatch-type wearable blood pressure monitors. Omron currently operates Bluetooth-based remote patient monitoring services primarily overseas in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Singapore, and has introduced technology to share biometric data measured by home blood pressure monitors with medical professionals to enhance treatment efficiency.
An Omron Healthcare representative stated, "In this joint research with Kyoto University, we will focus on clarifying the causal relationships between individual characteristics, lifestyle habits, and hypertension, while researching effective blood pressure improvement methods based on the collected data. Furthermore, by integrating innovative biosensing technology and AI, we aim to develop a system that makes it easier to prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases both in medical settings and at home, striving to realize the 'Going for Zero' vision."
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