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Intermittent pacemaker dysfunction caused by digital mobile telephones

B Naegeli1, S Osswald, M Deola

  • 1Cardiac Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.

Journal of the American College of Cardiology
|May 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Digital mobile phones can interfere with pacemakers, causing inappropriate tracking or inhibition. This risk is higher with stronger phone signals and maximum pacemaker sensitivity, especially in unipolar pacing modes.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Electrophysiology

Background:

  • Electromagnetic fields from mobile phones may affect pacemaker function.
  • While advancements like bipolar leads and noise filtering have reduced interference, their efficacy against digital cellular phone noise is uncertain.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the interaction between digital mobile phones and implanted pacemakers.
  • To determine if modern pacemakers are protected from digital mobile phone interference.

Main Methods:

  • 39 patients with pacemakers (DDD, VDD(R), VVI(R)) underwent testing with 4 mobile phones (2-8W).
  • 672 tests per mode were conducted with phones near the pulse generator and electrodes.
  • Tests varied sensitivity settings and unipolar/bipolar pacing modes.

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Main Results:

  • Interference occurred in 18% of patients (3.9% of tests) with phones <10cm away.
  • Pacemaker inhibition was observed in VVI(R) systems (5.6% of tests) and dual-chamber pacemakers (atrial triggering 2.8%, ventricular inhibition 2.8%).
  • Interference increased with higher phone power, maximal pacemaker sensitivity, and unipolar pacing.

Conclusions:

  • Digital mobile phones can cause intermittent pacemaker dysfunction.
  • Risks include inappropriate ventricular tracking and dangerous pacemaker inhibition.
  • Proximity, phone power, sensitivity settings, and pacing mode influence interference risk.