Summary
No definitive information exists at this time regarding the potential public health risk posed by the interaction between pacemakers and/or implantable cardioverter defibrillators and wireless instruments. Studies to date have clearly demonstrated interference in selected patients with permanent pacemakers, but the data to date are inconclusive and fraught with discrepancies.
At this time, patients are being told that the risk of interference from digital cellular technology has not yet been determined and no definitive clinical answer can be given to questions regarding interference. As a general rule, it is wise for the patient to avoid carrying their activated phone in a breast pocket overlying the pacemaker. In addition, pacemaker-dependent patients, (i.e., patients that are theoretically at the most risk from interference), should take special caution until more definitive information is available.
It is hoped that clinical information from both the multi-center clinical study being performed via WTR and the in vitro study at the University of Oklahoma should be available by Spring 1996.
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Hayes, D.L. (2002). State of the Science in Wireless Instrument Pacemaker and Defibrillator Interference. In: Carlo, G.L., Supley, M., Hersemann, S.E., Thibodeau, P. (eds) Wireless Phones and Health. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-46899-9_24
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-46899-9_24
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