Bio-inspired disease prediction: harnessing the power of electric eel foraging optimization algorithm with machine learning for heart disease prediction

Abstract Heart disease is the most significant health problem around the world. Thus, it emphasizes the need for accurate and efficient predictive models for early diagnosis. This study proposes an innovative approach integrating the Electric Eel Foraging Optimization Algorithm (EEFOA) with the Random Forest (RF) algorithm for classifying heart disease prediction. EEFOA draws inspiration from the foraging behaviour of electric eels, a bio-inspired optimization framework capable of effectively exploring complex solutions. The objective is to improve the predictive performance of heart disease diagnosis by integrating optimization and Machine learning methodologies. The experiment uses a heart disease dataset comprising clinical and demographic features of at-risk individuals. Subsequently, EEFOA was applied to optimize the features of the dataset and classification using the RF algorithm, thereby enhancing its predictive performance. The results demonstrate that the Electric Eel Foraging Optimization Algorithm Random Forest (EEFOARF) model outperforms traditional RF and other state-of-the-art classifiers in terms of predictive accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, and Log_Loss, achieving remarkable scores of 96.59%, 95.15%, 98.04%, 98%, and 0.1179, respectively. The proposed methodology has the potential to make a significant contribution, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality rates.