An integrated stacked convolutional neural network and the levy flight-based grasshopper optimization algorithm for predicting heart disease

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, including critical conditions such as blood vessel blockage, heart failure, and stroke. Accurate and early prediction of heart disease remains a significant challenge due to the complexity of symptoms and the variability of contributing factors. This study proposes a novel hybrid model integrating a Stacked Convolutional Neural Network (SCNN) with the Levy Flight-based Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm (LFGOA) to address this challenge. The SCNN provides robust feature extraction, while LFGOA enhances the model by optimizing hyperparameters, improving classification accuracy, and reducing overfitting. The proposed approach is evaluated using four publicly available heart disease datasets, each representing diverse clinical and demographic features. Compared to traditional classifiers, including Regression Trees, Support Vector Machine, Logistic Regression, K-Nearest Neighbors, and standard Neural Networks, the SCNN-LFGOA consistently outperforms these methods. The results highlight that the SCNN-LFGOA achieves an average accuracy of 99%, with significant improvements in specificity, sensitivity, and F1-Score, showcasing its adaptability and robustness across datasets. This study highlights the SCNN-LFGOA's potential as a transformative tool for early and accurate heart disease prediction, contributing to improved patient outcomes and more efficient healthcare resource utilization. By combining deep learning with an advanced optimization technique, this research introduces a scalable and effective solution to a critical healthcare problem.