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Study: iPods interfere with pacemakers

updated 10:15 am EDT, Fri May 11, 2007

iPod, pacemaker study


A new study presented by a 17-year-old Michigan high school student found that Apple's iPod portable media players can cause pacemakers -- small cardiac implants designed to monitor the hearts of people at risk of heart failure -- to misread heart pacing or fail entirely. The study which tested the effect of iPods on 100 patients with a mean age of 77 outfitted with pacemakers found that the portable players caused electrical interference 50 percent of the time when the iPod was held 2-inches from the patient's chest for 5-10 seconds, according to Reuters. The study examined iPods exclusively, and the results were presented to a meeting of heart specialists on Thursday. iPods caused pacemaker interference when held 18-inches from the chest in some cases, and in one particular instance caused the pacemaker to stop functioning entirely.


by MacNN Staff

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  1. appleisgreat

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2006

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    05/11, 10:25am | report spam | Reply |

    What's next?

    I bet iPods cause cancer too.

  1. lockhartt

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Apr 2000

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    05/11, 10:34am | report spam | Reply |

    Why just iPods?

    If this is true, it certainly applies to other audio players... particularly ones capable of WiFi broadcast. And, one would think it would apply to most, if not all, personal electronics if the study was done with flash-based iPods - though the Reuters article does not clarify any of the specifics regarding hardware.

    Can anyone say "corporate-sponsored reasearch?"

  1. simdude

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jun 2004

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    05/11, 10:41am | report spam | Reply |

    Which iPods?

    Is this an issue with hard drive based iPods or all? They show a little picture of a shuffle and nanos but don't explain what was used in the study. I would guess a hard drive based iPod would give more more interference.

    These units have all passed FCC testing for use in homes and offices. If the levels the FCC have determined are too high, the FCC needs to re-evalute their standards.

    To single out one manufacturer that is complying with established standards questions the legitimacy of this "study".

  1. suhail

    Senior User

    Joined: Nov 1999

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    05/11, 10:46am | report spam | Reply |

    What!!

    "…and in one particular instance caused the pacemaker to stop functioning entirely"

    So what does one do, when testing an iPod on a 77 year old patient and his pacemaker stops! Was the 17 year old kid charged with man-slaughter?

  1. fsauer1

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jul 2002

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    05/11, 10:56am | report spam | Reply |

    This is No Joke

    A 17 y.o. carefully raises a serious question, and all you can do is joke? (except simdude).

    I don't care about the FCC, as that's the minimum standard for high quality companies. And Apple was used because it is the monopoly in this area.

    Since it is a H.S. student, Apple should look into this and see what, if anything, needs to be done, and let the public know. Apple is about high quality and best user-friendly design. If true, this is not user-friendly.

  1. mgpalma

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Sep 2000

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    05/11, 11:01am | report spam | Reply |

    Pacemaker failure

    If the pacemaker fails then the isolated cells of the heart can take over and generate a slower heart rate based on their own pacemaker properties. The human body has its own builtin "pacemaker.'

    Yeah, and I am sure no ther mp3 player exhibits the same behavior. It was chosen because it IS the main one.

  1. jogdish

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2006

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    05/11, 11:02am | report spam | Reply |

    Awful study

    As a physician I had to laugh when I read this story. All patients with pacemakers are advised, when possible, to keep electronic devices at least a foot away from the pacemaker. The way it singles out iPods is interesting as well. I would not be surprised if all hard drive based devices and even cell phones have this effect on pacemakers. Lastly, I don't see too many people wearing an iPod in their shirt pocket, which is were it would have to be to make any difference...and if you have a pacemaker you have already been advised not to wear your iPod that cloce to the device anyway. This study, or should we call it a science fair exhibit, is getting way more attention than it deserves.

  1. boomer0127

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2004

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    05/11, 11:03am | report spam | Reply |

    from the article...

    "Dr. Edwin Kevin Heist, a cardiac electrophysiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, agrees that iPods can be a danger to patients with pacemakers.

    "It's clear that iPods can affect pacing function," said Heist. "There is a possibility for a severe reaction, such as loss of consciousness."

    Heist said he tells his patients that they can use any household device, including cell phones and iPods, but not to put them over their pacemaker. "Patients with a pacemaker could safely use an iPod, just don't put it over the device," he said."

    http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docID=604482

  1. mgpalma

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Sep 2000

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    05/11, 11:06am | report spam | Reply |

    re: Monopoly

    A monopoly is defined as a persistent market situation where there is only one provider of a kind of product or service. Monopolies are characterized, though this is not an accurate definition, by a lack of economic competition for the good or service that they provide.

  1. eldarkus

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2004

    0
    05/11, 11:17am | report spam | Reply |

    Good

    I see a new market for Apple! The iPacer! ;)

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