REVIEW OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality globally, with disproportionate impact on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) including Nigeria. The convergence of Internet of Things (IoT), edge computing, and wearable biosensing technologies presents transformative opportunities for remote cardiac monitoring. This scoping review examines the design, implementation, and deployment considerations of enhanced IoT-based remote cardiovascular health monitoring systems, particularly within resource-constrained environments. The review identified four interconnected thematic areas: (1) IoT system architectures for cardiovascular monitoring, predominantly following perception-network application layer models with emerging edge computing integration; (2) sensor technologies including ECG front-ends (AD8232, ADS1292R), photoplethysmography sensors (MAX30102), and non-contact temperature sensors (MLX90614); (3) communication protocols with MQTT emerging as the preferred lightweight protocol; and (4) implementation challenges including energy constraints, network reliability, data security, and clinical validation gaps. The evidence reveals significant research gaps including limited edge intelligence integration in resource-constrained settings, insufficient multi-sensor validation, and lack of context-specific deployment frameworks. Future research should prioritize TinyML-enabled edge processing, adaptive power management, and comprehensive clinical validation studies in LMIC healthcare settings.