Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping cardiovascular (CV) medicine, driving a paradigm shift toward truly personalized and data-driven care. This comprehensive review examines the conceptual foundations, clinical applications, and future implications of AI across the CV continuum, spanning prevention, diagnosis, risk stratification, and therapy. Core AI methodologies (including machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and computer vision) are discussed in the context of cardiology's uniquely data-rich environment, encompassing imaging, electrocardiography, electronic health records, wearable devices, and multi-omics data. This systematic review highlights major clinical domains where AI has demonstrated a substantial impact, including CV imaging, ECG interpretation, hypertension and heart failure management, coronary artery disease, acute coronary syndromes, interventional cardiology, and cardiac surgery. AI-driven predictive analytics enable early detection of subclinical disease, improved prognostication, and individualized prevention strategies, while wearable technologies and remote monitoring platforms facilitate continuous, real-world patient surveillance. Emerging applications in pharmacotherapy, drug repurposing, and genomics further reinforce AI's role in advancing precision cardiology. Equally emphasized are the ethical, legal, and social challenges accompanying AI adoption, such as algorithmic bias, data privacy, cybersecurity, interpretability, and regulatory oversight. Our review underscores the necessity of rigorous clinical validation, transparent model design, and seamless integration into clinical workflows to ensure safety, equity, and physician trust. Ultimately, AI is best positioned as an augmentative tool that complements (but does not replace!) clinical expertise. By fostering hybrid intelligence that integrates human judgment with computational power, AI has the potential to redefine CV care delivery, improve outcomes, and support a more proactive, patient-centered healthcare model.