Influence of D-net (European GSM -Standard) cellular phones on pacemaker function in 50 patients with permanent pacemakers.
Wilke A, Grimm W, Funck R, Maisch B, · 1996
View Original AbstractEarly cell phones caused pacemaker interference in 4% of patients tested, highlighting ongoing risks for cardiac implant users.
Plain English Summary
German researchers tested 50 patients with permanent pacemakers to see if early GSM cell phones could interfere with their heart devices. They found that 4% of patients (2 out of 50) experienced intermittent pacemaker disruption during phone calls, with both affected devices using older unipolar sensing technology. The study concluded that while interference is relatively rare, pacemaker-dependent patients should avoid using cellular phones as a precaution.
Why This Matters
This 1996 study represents crucial early research documenting electromagnetic interference between wireless devices and critical medical implants. While the 4% interference rate might seem low, the consequences for pacemaker-dependent patients could be life-threatening, making even rare occurrences medically significant. What's particularly telling is that both affected pacemakers used unipolar sensing technology, which is more susceptible to electromagnetic interference than modern bipolar designs. The reality is that this research helped drive improvements in pacemaker shielding and design standards. However, with today's smartphones operating at much higher power levels and data transmission rates than these early GSM phones, the potential for interference remains a legitimate concern for anyone with cardiac implants.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
The aim of this study is to investigate Influence of D-net (European GSM -Standard) cellular phones on pacemaker function in 50 patients with permanent pacemakers.
To determine the risk of pacemaker patients using D-net cellular phones, we tested 50 patients with ...
Only 2 (4%) of 50 patients repeatedly showed intermittent pacemaker inhibition during calls with the...
Therefore, although interactions between cellular phone use and pacemaker function appear to be rare in our study, pacemaker dependent patients in particular should avoid the use of cellular phones.
Show BibTeX
@article{a_1996_influence_of_dnet_european_2682,
author = {Wilke A and Grimm W and Funck R and Maisch B and},
title = {Influence of D-net (European GSM -Standard) cellular phones on pacemaker function in 50 patients with permanent pacemakers.},
year = {1996},
doi = {10.1111/j.1540-8159.1996.tb03158.x},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1540-8159.1996.tb03158.x},
}