[Effect of external electrical interference on pacemakers].
Cardiac pacemaker are sensitive to many kind of electromagnetic interference (EMI). However the low rate of reported effects is due to many protective features. Risks are minimal in everyday life conditions as airport detectors, electronic anti-thief systems, domestic electrical appliances and even mobile phones with the most recent models. Interference detection can be prevented by "medically correct" setting, with the use of bipolar sensing, and ventricular sensitivity above 2 mV. The effect of EMI from the industrial world are difficult to assess and need an individual study. The most important risks occur in the medical world, with the electrocutary, thransthoracic DC shocks, and magnetic resonance imaging.
Frank
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R
Service de cardiologie, hôpital Jean-Rostand, 39-41, rue Jean-le-Galleu, 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine, France.
Himbert
C
C
Hidden-Lucet
F
F
Petitot
J C
JC
Fontaine
G
G
D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects; D004867:Equipment Design; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D012307:Risk Factors