Podcast: The Revolution in AFib Diagnostics, Treatment and Stroke Risk

Dr. Jeffrey Goldberger speaks with Dean Henri Ford about signal processing and AI in atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) leads to stroke, heart failure, sudden death and other complications for millions worldwide. Despite decades of research, many aspects of AFib care, from diagnosis to treatment, remain outdated.
In the latest episode of “Inside U Miami Medicine,” Jeffrey Goldberger, M.D., director of the Center for Atrial Fibrillation at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, shares how he is improving decades-old models to save lives.
“This became a very personal issue for me when I saw two patients in the office within one month of each other. They had no risk factors. They had no hypertension. They were 50. They had no significant cardiac disease. And they both had strokes,” he said
He knew the field needed to evolve.
The Challenge: Outdated Approaches
AFib diagnosis methods have remained largely unchanged for the past 40 years. Treatments often follow a one-size-fits-all approach. While catheter ablation is the primary treatment, its success rates stagnate at around 60% for persistent AFib cases.

“We’re marginally better than a coin toss, but it shows you that we’re really far off in terms of our way to predict,” said Dr. Goldberger. “That’s just not acceptable.”
AI-Powered Insights from ECGs
One of Dr. Goldberger’s many pioneering techniques developed from a collaboration with University of Miami College of Engineering faculty. Together, they are utilizing signal processing and AI techniques to unlock hidden insights from electrocardiograms. By analyzing subtle differences in atrial signals, they are able to see a clearer picture of a patient’s unique AFib profile.
“It’s fascinating to see that every AFib is different. It behaves differently and it changes over time,” Dr. Goldberger said. “Our plan is to apply AI techniques to try to find features in those tracings that will help us classify atrial fibrillation.”
This innovation has the potential to revolutionize how clinicians determine the most effective, individualized treatment approach. Tune in on Apple, or wherever you listen to podcasts, to learn how science and technology are converging to improve outcomes and set a new standard for AFib management.
Tags: AFib, artificial intelligence, atrial fibrillation, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dr. Jeffrey Goldberger, heart disease, Inside U Miami Medicine, technology