Risk of cellular phone interference with an implantable loop recorder.

Bioeffects Seen

Trigano A, Blandeau O, Dale C, Wong MF, Wiart J. · 2007

Cell phones caused false heart rhythm readings in 88% of tests when placed 1 cm from cardiac monitoring devices.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers tested whether cell phones interfere with implantable loop recorders (ILRs), small heart monitoring devices that track irregular rhythms. When phones were placed just 1 cm away from the devices and calls were made, 88% of tests showed electrical interference that created false signals on heart rhythm recordings. While the interference didn't permanently damage the devices, it could potentially mask real heart problems or create false alarms.

Why This Matters

This study reveals a critical safety concern for the growing population of patients with implanted cardiac monitoring devices. The 88% interference rate at just 1 cm distance demonstrates how radiofrequency emissions from everyday devices can disrupt sensitive medical equipment. What makes this particularly concerning is that modern smartphones emit similar or higher power levels than the phones tested in 2007, and people routinely carry phones in chest pockets directly over implanted devices. The reality is that EMF interference with medical devices represents one of the most immediate and measurable health risks from wireless technology. Unlike debates over long-term cancer risks, device interference creates immediate, observable problems that can compromise medical care. Patients with implantable cardiac devices need clear guidance about maintaining distance from phones and other RF sources to ensure their life-saving equipment functions properly.

Exposure Information

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

Study Details

This study examined the risk of cellular phone ringing interference with implantable loop recorders (ILR).

To obviate the risk of dysfunction in recipients of implanted ILRs, the testing was performed with e...

Cellular phone ringing in close proximity to an externally applied ILR caused bursts of high-frequen...

Cite This Study

Trigano A, Blandeau O, Dale C, Wong MF, Wiart J. (2007). Risk of cellular phone interference with an implantable loop recorder. Int J Cardiol.116(1):126-130, 2007.

Show BibTeX

@article{a_2007_risk_of_cellular_phone_2634,
  author = {Trigano A and Blandeau O and Dale C and Wong MF and Wiart J.},
  title = {Risk of cellular phone interference with an implantable loop recorder.},
  year = {2007},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16839630/},
}

PubMed: 16839630

Cited By (16 papers)

Effects of electromagnetic interference on the functional usage of medical equipment by 2G/3G/4G cellular phones: A review
P. Mariappan et al. (2016) - 99 citations
Improved Arrhythmia Detection in Implantable Loop Recorders
M. Brignole et al. (2008) - 43 citations
Development and validation of a dual sensing scheme to improve accuracy of bradycardia and pause detection in an insertable cardiac monitor.
R. Passman et al. (2017) - 22 citations
Chapter 3 – Sensing and Detection
C. Swerdlow et al. (2007) - 16 citations
4 – Sensing and Detection With Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices
C. Swerdlow et al. (2017) - 10 citations
Interference of GSM mobile phones with communication between Cardiac Rhythm Management devices and programmers: A combined in vivo and in vitro study
Dong Huang et al. (2015) - 10 citations
Mobile phones electromagnetic interference in medical environments: A review
M. Fernández-Chimeno, Ferran Silva (2010) - 10 citations
Advanced algorithms can lead to electrocardiographic misinterpretations.
S. D'ascia et al. (2010) - 5 citations
Medical Equipment Immunity Assessment by Time Domain Analysis Application to GSM signals
M. Fernández-Chimeno et al. (2007) - 3 citations
Can the Accuracy of Home Blood Glucose Monitors be affected by the Received Signal Strength of 900 MHz GSM Mobile Phones?
J. Eslami et al. (2015) - 2 citations

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, cell phones can interfere with implantable loop recorders. A 2007 study found that when phones operating at 900-1800 MHz were placed just 1 cm from these heart monitoring devices, 88% of tests showed electrical interference that created false signals on heart rhythm recordings.

You should keep cell phones more than 1 cm away from implantable loop recorders. Research shows that phones placed exactly 1 cm from these heart monitoring devices caused interference in 88% of tests, creating false signals that could mask real heart problems or trigger false alarms.

No, 900 MHz cell phones don't permanently damage implantable loop recorders. While a 2007 study found that phone calls caused electrical interference and false heart rhythm signals in 88% of tests, the interference didn't cause permanent device dysfunction or reprogramming issues.

When a phone rings near an implantable loop recorder, it creates bursts of high-frequency electrical signals that interfere with heart rhythm monitoring. This interference produces false electrocardiogram artifacts that could potentially mask real heart problems or create misleading readings for doctors.

Yes, 1800 MHz phone frequencies can affect heart device recordings. Research on implantable loop recorders found that both 900 MHz and 1800 MHz cellular frequencies caused electrical interference during phone calls, creating false signals on electrocardiogram monitoring without permanently damaging the devices.