New Research Shows Strong Support for AI in Preventive Cardiac Screening

Jan. 27, 2026 — A new national study reveals a stark disconnect between Americans’ desire for preventive cardiac screening and the care they can access. Despite heart disease remaining the leading cause of death in the U.S., the study finds that only 28% of Americans who have had a heart ultrasound were offered it as a preventive measure, and just 30% say they have convenient access to advanced heart screening close to home.

The research, commissioned by HeartFocus by DESKi (providers of AI-enabled cardiac imaging software), follows the recent release of Cardiovascular Statistics in the United States from the American College of Cardiology, which highlights rising rates of heart failure and coronary heart disease, conditions for which cardiac imaging, such as echocardiograms, can provide early detection. 

Heart Disease Risk is Largely Underestimated

Despite heart disease being the nation’s leading killer, less than half of Americans (49%) correctly identify it as such. When asked to think of a “serious illness,” 61% of respondents named cancer first, while just 16% thought of heart disease.

The good news is that awareness appears to be a powerful catalyst for action. Once informed that heart disease is the leading cause of death, 94% of respondents said they would be motivated to seek preventive heart care.

Demand for Preventive Screening is Strong, but Access is Limited 

The study found overwhelming public support for earlier and more routine heart screening with 94% of Americans supporting heart ultrasound scans as part of a routine physical and 90% saying they would be open to a heart scan even if they feel healthy, if it could detect silent conditions. 

Despite the appetite, however, access is greatly limited. Just 30% report having convenient access to advanced heart screening close to home so there is a keen desire for more pathways to care. 92% would trust PCPs offering same-day heart scans and 78% of Americans support access in non-hospital settings such as retail and walk-in clinics. 

High Trust in AI for Delivering Access  

The study also highlights strong interest in AI-enabled solutions. 75% want their primary care provider or nurse to use AI tools to assess heart health more quickly and accurately and 79% of people say use of AI in heart scans would increase or maintain their trust in their healthcare provider. 

“This research shows a clear disconnect between how Americans want to engage in their heart health and the options to do so. People want earlier cardiac screening; they trust the tools that can support it, but access often comes too late or not at all,” said Bertrand Moal, PhD, MD, CEO of DESKi.  “HeartFocus was built to help close that gap by enabling earlier detection in more accessible care settings, expanding diagnostic-level cardiac screening beyond specialist environments.”

The Heart of the Matter was commissioned by HeartFocus by DESKi and conducted by Researchscape between October 30 and November 3, 2025 through an online survey of 2,091 U.S adults. The sample was nationally representative across age, gender, race/ethnicity, and geographic region, with results weighted to U.S. Census benchmarks.

To learn more, visit https://heartfocus.ai/white-papers-and-publications/the-heart-of-the-matter