[Could C- and D-network mobile phones endanger patients with pacemakers]?
Hofgartner F, Muller T, Sigel H · 1996
View Original AbstractEarly mobile phones caused dangerous pacemaker malfunctions in 41% of tested patients, proving EMF can interfere with life-critical medical devices.
Plain English Summary
German researchers tested 104 pacemaker patients with early mobile phones (analog and digital networks) to see if the devices interfered with their heart rhythm devices. They found that 41% of patients experienced dangerous pacemaker malfunctions, including complete inhibition and irregular heart rhythms, when exposed to mobile phone signals. Higher-power phones caused interference at greater distances than lower-power models.
Why This Matters
This 1996 study represents crucial early evidence of EMF interference with critical medical devices. While the specific phone technologies tested are now obsolete, the fundamental physics remains relevant - radiofrequency radiation can disrupt sensitive electronic medical implants. What makes this research particularly significant is that it documented life-threatening interference in real patients, not just laboratory conditions. The 41% interference rate among pacemaker patients demonstrates that EMF effects aren't theoretical - they can have immediate, measurable consequences for vulnerable populations. Modern pacemakers have improved shielding, but the proliferation of wireless devices means patients face exponentially more EMF exposure today than in 1996.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
To investigate prospectively the extent of potentially harmful interference of cardiac pacemakers by mobile phones in the C (analog) and D (digital) networks in use in Germany.
104 patients (54 men, 50 women; mean age 75.8 [40-100] years) with 58 different implanted pacemaker ...
28 different pacemaker types (48.3%) in 43 patients (41.3%) showed interference in the form of pacem...
Patients with implanted pacemakers should if possible not use mobile phones in the C and D networks. Individual testing with suitable programming of pacemaker sensitivity and polarity can reduce the risk of interference.
Show BibTeX
@article{f_1996_could_c_and_dnetwork_2203,
author = {Hofgartner F and Muller T and Sigel H},
title = {[Could C- and D-network mobile phones endanger patients with pacemakers]?},
year = {1996},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8635399/},
}