Monitoring heart rate variability online using e-health oriented 3G mobile telephone services

Abstract

We are living an epidemic of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases that have led to many researchers worldwide increase their technical studies and methods of identification, diagnosis and treatment. Moreover, risk estimate based on factors such as age, sex, blood pressure, smoking, and lipid levels is still incomplete and depend on interest of subject by going to the hospital to do lab tests. The Brazilian experience that recorded each year over 90.000 deaths caused by cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, only in 2008 the Unified Health System log about 200.000 hospitalizations, which resulted in an approximate cost of $ 180 million public resource. In addition, this is responsible for approximately 40% of early retirements and leading cause of disability in the age group above 50 years. Following the premise that "The best cure is prevention", this work seeks to provide a mobile tool to prevent early cardiac arrhythmia by means of monitoring on-line and assessing heart rate variability. Preliminary results proved effective in Sao Paulo for study of heart rate variability. This new service uses mobile phone to record, evaluate and transmit information, which currently is in clinical validation. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.