Revolutionary computer program could detect risk of heart attack or stroke in type 2 diabetes patients by analysing blood sugar levels

A revolutionary computer program can predict whether type 2 diabetes patients are likely to have a heart attack or stroke, up to ten years before one occurs.

The SCORE2 software identifies those at greatest risk of developing serious heart complications by assessing blood sugar levels. In turn, doctors will be able to target patients who urgently need higher doses of medication and suggest lifestyle changes to prevent future heart problems.

More than four million people in Britain suffer from type 2 diabetes – when the body no longer responds adequately to the hormone insulin, which is needed to convert sugar in the blood into energy.

Elevated levels can, over time, cause fatty deposits to form in the blood vessels, reducing circulation and increasing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, lower limb amputation and even blindness.

There are currently more than 4.5 million Britons diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and 13.6 million are at risk of developing it.

Type 2 diabetes can develop from poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle, but can also be hereditary. Research has also shown that patients who suffer from this are twice as likely to die from heart problems than people without heart problems.

Doctors have been using so-called risk calculators for years to calculate the risks of cardiovascular disease among the general population. These combine factors such as family history, blood pressure and cholesterol levels to create a score that reflects the likelihood of the fatal condition occurring.

But SCORE2 also includes symptoms specific to diabetes, such as blood sugar measurements, kidney function and glycosylated hemoglobin levels – a protein in the blood that is increased by poorly controlled diabetes.

The calculator can classify patients as having a high, medium or low risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the coming years.

Those identified as high risk would likely receive immediate treatment, while those considered low risk would not be prioritized by doctors.

The British Heart Foundation, which helped fund research leading to the development of SCORE2, says the software works with a high degree of accuracy.

Researcher Emanuele Di Angelantonio, professor of clinical epidemiology at the University of Cambridge, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘This could make a real difference to patient outcomes if doctors use it to ensure they receive the most appropriate drug treatment. ‘