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Cardiovascular

Reliability of electromagnetic filters of cardiac pacemakers tested by cellular telephone ringing.

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Trigano A, Blandeau O, Dale C, Wong MF, Wiart J. · 2005

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Interference with cardiac pacemakers from cellular phone ringing occurred in only 1.5% of tests, and only with unprotected pacemaker models.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers performed 330 consecutive tests in 158 patients during routine pacemaker follow-up examinations. Two cellular phone systems were tested: GSM at a maximal power output of 2 W on a 900 MHz carrier frequency, and PCS at a maximal output of 1 W on a 1800 MHz carrier frequency. Interference was noted in only 5 tests, all involving unprotected pacemaker models, and the overall incidence of interference was 1.5% of tests.

Why This Matters

During each test, two single-band digital cellular phones were consecutively placed over the pacemaker pocket while each received a call, with electrocardiographic monitoring running throughout. The GSM test was negative in 12 other tests of identical pulse generator models, suggesting variability even among the same unprotected models. Standard programming of unprotected models was associated with a low incidence of interference.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 1.80 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 1.80 GHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 900, 1800 MHz

Study Details

This study tested the protection offered by electromagnetic filters of cardiac pacemakers against cellular phone ringing.

We performed 330 consecutive tests in 158 patients at the time of routine examination in our pacemak...

Interference was noted in only 5 tests, due to interaction by the GSM system with 4 unprotected pace...

Interference by cellular phone ringing occurred only with unprotected pacemaker models. Standard programming of these unprotected models was associated with a low incidence of interference.

Cite This Study
Trigano A, Blandeau O, Dale C, Wong MF, Wiart J. (2005). Reliability of electromagnetic filters of cardiac pacemakers tested by cellular telephone ringing. Heart Rhythm. 2(8):837-841, 2005.
Show BibTeX
@article{a_2005_reliability_of_electromagnetic_filters_2633,
  author = {Trigano A and Blandeau O and Dale C and Wong MF and Wiart J.},
  title = {Reliability of electromagnetic filters of cardiac pacemakers tested by cellular telephone ringing.},
  year = {2005},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16051120/},
}
PubMed: 16051120

Cited By (37 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers performed 330 consecutive tests in 158 patients during routine pacemaker follow-up clinic examinations.
Interference was due to interaction by the GSM system with unprotected pacemaker models.
The overall incidence of interference was 1.5% of tests.
Interference by cellular phone ringing occurred only with unprotected pacemaker models.
The GSM phone operated at a maximal power output of 2 W on a 900 MHz carrier frequency, while the PCS phone operated at a maximal output of 1 W on a 1800 MHz carrier frequency.