Non-invasive electrocardiogram and blood pressure monitors for cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in many developed countries. Although medical and clinical approaches of CVD assessment can provide a direct and accurate evidence of heart disease, these techniques only provide periodic (intermittent) assessment of the disease. There is a need for cardiovascular monitoring devices that can supplement traditional medical and clinical care by enabling the timely detection of precursor symptoms to sudden death, and the long-term management of chronic conditions through monitoring of symptoms, risk factors, and regimen compliance. This paper provides an overview of current and emerging non-invasive ambulatory CVD monitoring techniques, focusing on electrocardiographic and blood pressure monitors. The requirements, challenges, applications, and medical value of the monitoring technologies presented are discussed.