Wearable and chest size-adjusted 12-lead electrode array system to record electrocardiogram: A novel design

Abstract

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Majority of human loss caused due to cardiovascular issues can be saved if diagnosed early and treated appropriately. Electrocardiogram (ECG) is the basic screening tool for cardiac ailments. Cumbersome technique, inconvenience to the patients and lack of trained workforce to obtain record, makes ECG a challenge, especially at peripheral rural health centers. Making ECG recording simpler, available, and recordable by even untrained persons can help cardiac patients get timely screened for needful treatment. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to design a wearable, 12-lead, electrode array system for ECG recording. Materials and Methods: Data of 250 adult men in the age group of 30–70 years were collected. We measured chest circumference and distance of points on chest wall from the midline (anterior chest wall), where chest lead electrodes need to be placed for ECG recording and correlated this value with the height, age, weight, and body mass index (BMI) of the subjects. Results: The mean distances (±standard deviation) of the chest lead electrodes from the midline (cm) were 2.8 ± 0.39 (right to the midline), 2.8 ± 0.39, 6.09 ± 0.59, 11.81 ± 1.43, 20.43 ± 2.38, and 25.10 ± 2.10 for V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, and V6, respectively. This distance was significantly correlating with subject’s weight and BMI. Conclusion: BMI and body weight of the individuals, irrespective of their age, can be considered to design different size wearable electrode array system. A prototype of the chest size-adjusted electrode array system to record ECG is developed.