Volume 10, Issue 1, January – 2025 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology (IJISRT)

ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14730631

IJISRT25JAN731 www.ijisrt.com

Heart Attack Risk Detection Using Eye Retinal

Images
Rajani; Paavana Guruprasad; Rahul M Javkar; Rakshith C R; Rakshitha T S
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
S J B Institute of Technology, Bengaluru

Publication Date: 2025/01/24

Abstract
With the rising incidence of heart attacks, early detection systems have become essential in providing timely intervention to
reduce fatalities and complications. This project presents a non-invasive heart attack risk prediction system designed to analyze
retinal images for identifying vascular patterns indicative of heart attack risks. By leveraging advanced artificial intelligence
techniques, including Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) and Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithms, the system detects
subtle abnormalities in retinal blood vessels that correlate with cardiovascular health. Upon detection, the system provides real-
time risk assessments through a web-based platform, enabling individuals and healthcare providers to take proactive measures.
This innovative solution offers a reliable, efficient, and scalable approach to heart attack risk prediction, ensuring improved
accessibility and enhanced preventive care.

Keywords: Retinal Imaging, Cardiovascular Diseases, Heart Attack Prediction, Artificial Intelligence, Non-Invasive Diagnostics,
Recurrent Neural Networks, Expectation-Maximization.

I. INTRODUCTION This study introduces an advanced AI-powered system

that analyzes retinal images using state-of-the-art algorithms
Heart attacks remain one of the leading causes of such as Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) and
mortality worldwide, posing a severe threat to global health. Expectation-Maximization (EM). The system identifies and
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), interprets vascular abnormalities indicative of potential heart
approximately 85% of over 15 million deaths out of 17.9 attack risks. Integrated into a user-friendly web platform,
million cardiovascular disease-related deaths—are caused this solution enables real-time risk assessment and supports
by heart attacks and strokes, every year. This alarming timely interventions, ensuring a scalable and efficient
statistic underscores the critical need for early detection approach to heart attack prevention.
systems that can identify risks and prevent fatalities.
However, conventional diagnostic methods, including This approach highlights the transformative potential
coronary angiography, stress tests, and biomarker analysis, of technology in improving healthcare outcomes and
are invasive, costly, and often inaccessible, especially in addresses the urgent need for scalable, reliable, and non-
underserved or rural areas with limited healthcare invasive diagnostic tools in the fight against heart attacks.
infrastructure.
II. LITERATURE SURVEY
This project presents an innovative approach to heart
attack risk prediction through non-invasive diagnostics, By carefully reviewing earlier work, it helps
leveraging retinal imaging as a tool to identify early warning identify gaps and shortcomings in current approaches and
signs. The retina, a highly vascularized tissue, mirrors the gives insights into unresolved problems. A thorough
systemic vascular condition, making it a powerful indicator literature survey also compares different techniques and
of cardiovascular health. Subtle changes in retinal blood solutions, showing their strengths and weaknesses. This not
vessels, such as variations in vessel diameter and tortuosity, only sets the background for the current project but also
have been correlated with early indicators of heart attack opens the door for new improvements and innovations. In
risks. By focusing on these vascular patterns, retinal imaging short, a literature survey connects past research with future
offers a cost-effective and safer alternative to traditional ideas, highlighting the importance of learning and improving
diagnostic methods, particularly in preventive healthcare continuously in any area of study.
settings.

Rajani; Paavana Guruprasad; Rahul M Javkar; Rakshith C R; Rakshitha T S, (2025), Heart Attack Risk Detection
Using Eye Retinal Images. International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology,
10(1), 756-761. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14730631
756
 Heart Disease Prediction Using Eye Retinal Images indicator of vascular health and demonstrated UNET's
(Shaikh, S. et al., 2023): effectiveness in accurate vessel segmentation. Challenges
This study employed transfer learning with the Inception included the reliance on datasets like MESSIDOR and
v3 model and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to DRIVE, which limited generalizability, and the "black-box"
analyze over 6000 retinal images, achieving impressive nature of VGG-16, which created interpretability issues
accuracy rates of 97% during training and 96% during critical for clinical adoption. The methodology involved
testing. The research demonstrated the effectiveness of preprocessing images from datasets, segmenting retinal
automated feature extraction for detecting cardiovascular vessels using UNET, and computing AVR for risk
risks and highlighted the value of transfer learning in assessment. This non-invasive diagnostic approach offers
addressing challenges associated with smaller datasets. By high accuracy, automated segmentation, and early detection
utilizing a robust yet efficient model, the study paved the of cardiovascular risks, further strengthening its potential for
way for non-invasive diagnostic methods that require clinical use. Expanding dataset diversity and enhancing
minimal manual intervention. However, limited diversity in model explainability are critical steps for future research in
the dataset affected the model's generalizability, and its this domain.
reliance on specialized imaging equipment, along with the
opaque "black-box" nature of CNNs, hindered clinical  Heart Attack Risk Prediction Using Retinal Images
adoption. The methodology involved preprocessing retinal (Pailla Teena Reddy et al., 2023):
images, applying transfer learning with Inception v3 for This study focused on extracting features from retinal
feature extraction, and validating the model's performance. images to detect patterns indicative of heart attack risks,
This non-invasive diagnostic approach offers early detection employing supervised learning methods for prediction. It
capabilities, high accuracy, and automated feature emphasized the potential of retinal imaging as a non-
extraction, which collectively enhance its potential for invasive and scalable diagnostic tool for early detection and
improving cardiovascular risk prediction. Future research population-level screening. By bridging the gap between
could explore integrating explainable AI methods to data accessibility and early-stage diagnosis, this study
improve the interpretability of the results for clinical highlighted the advantages of automated techniques in
acceptance. resource-limited environments. However, challenges
included the limited availability of advanced imaging
 Cardiovascular Disease Prediction from Retinal Images systems in resource-constrained regions and the need for
Using Machine Learning (Rose, B. et al., 2023): extensive validation across diverse datasets to ensure
This study explored the use of Contrast Limited clinical reliability. The methodology involved preprocessing
Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) to enhance retinal images to enhance relevant features, using algorithms
retinal vessel segmentation, comparing the performance of for feature extraction, and training supervised learning
Support Vector Machines (SVM) and CNNs. SVM achieved models for risk prediction. The system provides early
superior accuracy of 97.46%, emphasizing its efficiency detection capabilities, automated analysis, and accessibility,
over CNN in this context. The study demonstrated the making it a safer and more efficient alternative to traditional
significant role of preprocessing techniques like CLAHE in diagnostic methods. Future work could focus on integrating
boosting the clarity of critical retinal features, improving cloud-based solutions to make this approach widely
overall model performance. The research underscored the accessible in low-resource settings.
importance of preprocessing techniques like CLAHE in
improving segmentation and identifying retinal features such  Prediction of Cardiovascular Risk Factors from Retinal
as vessel diameter and tortuosity, which are linked to Fundus Images via Deep Learning (Poplin, R. et al.,
cardiovascular health. Challenges included computationally 2018):
intensive feature extraction, limiting scalability, and the use This study utilized convolutional neural networks
of small, non-representative datasets, which increased the (CNNs) trained on datasets from UK Biobank and EyePACS
risk of overfitting. The methodology involved CLAHE for to predict cardiovascular risk factors such as age, gender,
image contrast enhancement, feature extraction based on and smoking status from retinal fundus images. The research
vessel attributes, and classification using SVM and CNN for achieved high accuracy in predicting key cardiovascular
comparison. The study demonstrated the non-invasive indicators, demonstrating its potential for risk stratification
diagnostic potential of retinal imaging, with high accuracy and offering performance comparable to existing clinical
and enhanced segmentation capabilities using CLAHE. It risk calculators. By establishing correlations between retinal
also emphasized the need for developing lighter algorithms features and systemic risk factors, the study provided a
to improve scalability and deployment in real-world settings. novel avenue for non-invasive cardiovascular diagnostics.
Challenges included limited dataset diversity, which
 Identifying Retinal Abnormalities for Cardiovascular restricted broader applicability, and the absence of
Risk Assessment (Prakash, A. P. et al., 2024): biochemical markers like lipid panels, which reduced the
This research introduced the Arteriolar to Venular comprehensiveness of predictions. The methodology
Ratio (AVR) as a biomarker for cardiovascular risk involved applying deep learning techniques to retinal fundus
assessment and utilized the UNET architecture for precise images, training CNN models on large datasets, and
retinal vessel segmentation. The classification model based evaluating the models using metrics like MAE and AUC.
on VGG-16 achieved an accuracy of 97%, showcasing its This non-invasive approach supports population-level
reliability. With its ability to detect subtle vascular screenings, providing efficient and accurate predictions of
irregularities, the study demonstrated the relevance of AVR cardiovascular risk factors. Scaling up this approach and
as an indicator for predicting systemic cardiovascular incorporating additional health indicators could further
conditions. The study highlighted the utility of AVR as an enhance its clinical relevance and reliability.

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 III. OBJECTIVES easy to use. The fig 3 shows the architecture of the proposed
system.
 Achieve a highly accurate model that enables early
detection of heart attack risks, facilitating timely medical  Data Collection:
intervention. Retinal images were sourced from the RFMiD dataset,
 Build a user-friendly website where users can upload which provides a variety of images required for training and
retinal images and receive real-time risk assessments. testing the system.
 Use a dataset representing a diverse population with
varying retinal patterns to ensure generalization and  Preprocessing:
prevent bias. To improve the quality and consistency of the input
 Develop a non-invasive heart attack risk detection data, the following techniques were used:
system using retinal imaging as a safer and more  Image Augmentation: Enhanced the dataset by adding
accessible alternative to traditional diagnostic methods. variations through rotation, flipping, and other
 Upload processed data and risk assessment results to a transformations.
cloud-based platform for real-time monitoring and  Square Padding: Ensured that all images had the same
remote access by caregivers or healthcare professionals. dimensions by adding padding where needed.
 Retinal Cropping: Focused only on the relevant parts of
IV. PROPOSED SYSTEM the retina, removing unnecessary details from the image.
 Resizing: Standardized image sizes to make them
The proposed system is a non-invasive, AI-based compatible with the AI model.
solution designed to predict heart attack risks by analyzing  Normalization: Scaled the pixel values to a uniform
retinal images. Traditional methods for heart attack risk range, improving the model's ability to process the
assessment often involve expensive and invasive images effectively.
procedures. This system takes a simpler and safer approach
by using the similarities between retinal and cardiovascular  Feature Analysis and Clustering:
blood vessels to identify potential risks. Advanced deep
learning algorithms help detect patterns in the retinal images  Clustering: Used Density-based clustering algorithm to
linked to heart health. group similar patterns or features in the retinal images
based on density of blood vessels, to make the data more
Key features of the Proposed System Include: organized for the next stage, as shown in fig 1.
 Non-Invasive Approach:
It uses retinal images to detect heart attack risks early
without the need for invasive procedures.

 Smart AI Models:
Combines Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN) with
Expectation-Maximization (EM) for analyzing patterns. This
is different from other systems that mostly use CNNs or
SVMs. The RNN helps pick up sequences and trends in the
data, making the predictions more accurate.

 Better Preprocessing:
The system uses techniques like cropping, resizing, and FIG 1: IMAGE CLUSTERING
normalization to ensure the data is clean and consistent. It
also balances the dataset to avoid biased results, something  Model Training:
many existing studies don’t focus on enough.
 The system used Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN),
 Easy-to-Use Web Platform: particularly LSTM and GRU, to detect patterns in the
Users can upload retinal images on a simple web data.
interface and get real-time analysis, making it practical and
 These features were then classified using an Expectation-
accessible for both healthcare professionals and individuals.
Maximization (EM) model, combining the strengths of
both approaches.
 Affordable and Scalable:
 The training process was optimized using:
It is designed to be cost-effective and adaptable, with
careful consideration for different populations and varying  Categorical Cross-Entropy as the loss function to
health conditions. measure prediction accuracy.
 Adam Optimizer to adjust model weights and improve
performance.
V. IMPLEMENTATION
 Batch Size, Epochs, and Validation were tuned for better
The implementation of the proposed system involved results.
several important steps, starting from preparing the data to
training and deploying the model. Each step was carefully
designed to ensure the system performs accurately and is

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 Evaluation: Precision ⋅ Recall
F1-Score = 2 ⋅
The model was tested using metrics such as: Precision + Recall
 Accuracy: It measures the overall correctness of the
model by calculating the proportion of correctly
classified instances out of the total instances. It gives a The results confirmed the system’s ability to make
general measure of model performance but can be reliable predictions.
misleading in imbalanced datasets.
 Deployment:
True Positives + True Negatives The final system was deployed on a web-based
Accuracy = platform, allowing users to upload retinal images and
Total Number of Samples
receive real-time analysis. The platform ensures
 Precision: It measures the proportion of correctly accessibility and ease of use, making it practical for
predicted positive observations to the total predicted everyday healthcare applications.
positives
VI. RESULT AND ANALYSIS
True Positives
Precision = The heart attack risk detection system demonstrated
True Positives + False Positives
exceptional performance, achieving an accuracy of 98.6%
 Recall (Sensitivity): It measures the proportion or actual with the available data set, which highlights its capability to
positives correctly identified by the model. It focuses on classify heart attack risks with high reliability.
how well the model captures positive cases out of all
actual positive cases. The term sensitivity also refers to
the true- positive rate.

True Positives
Recall =
True Positives + False Negatives

 Specificity (False negative rate): The proportion of

actual negatives that are correctly identified by the
model, it tells us how well the model avoids false
positives. It tells us how well the model avoids false
positives. For instance, in medical testing, a high
specificity means fewer healthy patients are wrongly
diagnosed as having the disease. Fig 2: Features Affecting Heart Attack Risk

True Negatives A significant insight from the analysis is the

Specificity =
True Negatives + False Positives contribution of various features to heart attack risks, as
shown in fig 2. Among 100 individuals, 80 with higher BMI
 F1 Score: It is a measure of a model’s accuracy that (body mass index) were identified as having a high risk of
considers both precision and recall. It is a balanced heart attack, making BMI the most influential factor.
metric that takes both false positives and false negatives Systolic blood pressure (SBP) followed closely, with 72
into account, especially important when the classes are individuals showing a correlation to increased risk, while
imbalanced (For example, in medical diagnostics where features such as age and diastolic blood pressure (DBP)
positive cases might be rare). A high F1-score indicates contributed equally, affecting 42 individuals each. HbA1c
that both false positives and false negatives are levels were less impactful, influencing 17 individuals. These
minimized. findings demonstrate how different health indicators
influence cardiovascular risks, with BMI and SBP being the
most significant predictors.

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 Fig 3: System Architecture

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