Patients with pacemakers or defibrillators do not need to worry about e-Cars: An observational study

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Automotive Engineering

Background:

• Electric cars are growing in popularity for transportation.
• They may pose electromagnetic interference (EMI) risks to cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs).
• Concerns include device malfunction and unnecessary driving restrictions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the electromagnetic interference (EMI) risk of electric cars on CIED function.
• To determine if electric car use impacts CIED performance.
• To provide evidence-based guidance for patients with CIEDs.

Main Methods:

• 108 patients with CIEDs were enrolled.
• Participants were exposed to electromagnetic fields from four common electric car models during test drives.
• CIED function was monitored via ECG and device interrogation.

Main Results:

• No changes in CIED function or programming were observed.
• The highest electromagnetic field strength was detected near the charging cable (116.5 μT).
• Electromagnetic field strength within the car cabin was significantly lower (2.1-3.6 μT).

Conclusions:

• Electric cars generate electromagnetic fields.
• These fields did not affect CIED function or programming in the study cohort.
• Driving and charging electric cars is likely safe for patients with CIEDs.