Global Leaders Say ZIP Codes Predict Heart Attacks Better Than Doctors — and AI Can Close the Gap

A Concordia Annual Summit panel brought together leaders from the Novartis Foundation, Bayer, the American College of Cardiology, Novo Nordisk, Stagwell, and Egypt's Ministry of Health to confront a paradox: the world has never known more about preventing heart disease, yet it remains the No. 1 killer globally. The consensus was blunt — the problem isn't missing science, it's a failure to execute.

• AI models using ZIP codes, commute times and crime rates outperform clinical tests in predicting heart attacks, with new per-census-tract data now in the hands of New York City's health commissioner
• ACC president exposes systemic bias: women excluded from cardiac trials for four decades; a Black patient with severe heart failure saw four cardiologists who never used a stethoscope
• Egypt's 63-million-person hepatitis C screening campaign uncovered millions with hidden diabetes and hypertension, offering a replicable model for cardiovascular prevention
• Bayer unveils AI-powered heart health calculator that assesses 10-year cardiovascular risk on a phone in under 10 minutes with 90% accuracy
• Panelists call for a global heart attack elimination partnership by next year's UN General Assembly

Why it matters: Every panelist agreed the world does not need more clinical evidence to prevent heart disease deaths. What it needs is the infrastructure to act on what's already known — and most health systems don't have it.