Electrocardiogram (ECG) is the recording of the electrical
activity of heart. ECG signal is a bipolar low-frequency weak
signal and the normal rage of the signal is 0.05-100Hz [1]. Its
amplitude ranges from 10µV to 5mV, whose typical value is
1mV. ECG signal can help to diagnose several heart related
diseases.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a group of disorders of
the heart and blood vessels. CVD remains the leading cause of
death around the world. About 29.6% of all deaths worldwide
(15 616.1 million deaths) were caused by CVD in 2010 [2].
The mortality for men and women for cerebrovascular disease
(stroke) and coronary heart disease (CHD) are shown in Figure
1 [3]. By 2020, non-communicable diseases including CVD are
awaited to account for seven out of every 10 deaths in the
developing countries [4]. Major risk factors of CHD includes
unhealthy diet, above-optimal levels of total cholesterol and
blood pressure, and cigarette smoking [5]. In Bangladesh,
about 20% of adult and 65% of elderly people suffer from
hypertension [6]. In 2010, the International Diabetes Federation
estimated that 6.1% and 7.1% people living in Bangladesh
suffer from Diabetes mellitus (DM) and impaired glucose
tolerance (IGT). In diabetes patients, myocardial ischemia is
often asymptomatic, which increases the mortality [7].
Our research study aims to develop a low cost ECG
monitoring system, which is real-time, affordable, portable and
user-friendly. In this research a prototype ECG monitoring
system is developed which is low cost, portable, battery
powered and it includes wireless facility for safety concern and
reducing noise interference. It gives wireless connectivity up to
9 meter. Our designed system visualizes the ECG signal and
heart rate, it doesn’t detect abnormal ECG signal. In the
system, we developed a software for desktop computer and an
android application to visualize the ECG signal. This system
consists three electrodes, by which ECG can be taken from
either limb leads (Lead I, II and II), and augmented limb leads
(aVR, aVL, and aVF). The equipment used in this system
consumes low power for this it can function for a long time. In
Bangladesh, per capita electricity generation is only 321 KWH
and this system can be used during load shedding and on those
remote areas where electricity have not reached