MP3 player headphones can cause potentially dangerous interactions with pacemakers and ICDs.
This topic has been widely reported in the press since late last year when Dr. William Maisel of Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston revealed the findings of his study. Even CNN covered it.
But I just came across this video and thought it would be good to post it here.
Dr. Maisel and his team of researchers found a detectable interference with the device by the headphones in 14 of the 60 patients studied (23%). They observed that 15 percent of the pacemaker patients and 30 percent of the defibrillator patients had a magnet response.
For pacemakers, this means that the device inappropriately paced the heart without regard to the patient's underlying heart rhythm. For implantable defibrillators, this means that the ICD's antitacnycardia therapy was temporarily suspended due to the presence of the magnet.
But I just came across this video and thought it would be good to post it here.
Dr. Maisel and his team of researchers found a detectable interference with the device by the headphones in 14 of the 60 patients studied (23%). They observed that 15 percent of the pacemaker patients and 30 percent of the defibrillator patients had a magnet response.
For pacemakers, this means that the device inappropriately paced the heart without regard to the patient's underlying heart rhythm. For implantable defibrillators, this means that the ICD's antitacnycardia therapy was temporarily suspended due to the presence of the magnet.
Labels: ICDs, Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, interference, magnets, MP3 players
posted by Hugo Campos at
Friday, May 15, 2009
1 Comments:
I just cant get around the thought that the magnetic field on a ear bud will effect my ICD. There is more of a megnetic field generated by static electricity when people comb their hair or walk along carpet. Should I not get a hair cut? What about a tattoo? I know this story made for great news, but we can do without the added fear. What we want to know is what kind of earphone were used, how close was the earphone to the device, how long was the use for, etc... Dont give us the altered findings, give us all the facts. That word "potentially" can miss-lead alot of people.
Thanks for letting me vent!
ICD now for 4 days
By
ICD4ME, At
July 27, 2009 10:04 AM
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