Oh Frack.
Guess what I just read? iPods can make pacemakers malfunction:
iPods can cause cardiac implantable pacemakers to malfunction by interfering with the electromagnetic equipment monitoring the heart, according to a study presented by a 17-year-old high school student to a meeting of heart specialists on Thursday.
The study tested the effect of the portable music devices on 100 patients, whose mean age was 77, outfitted with pacemakers. Electrical interference was detected half of the time when the iPod was held just 2 inches from the patient's chest for 5 to 10 seconds.
The study did not examine any portable music devices other than iPods, which are made by Apple Inc.
In some cases, the iPods caused interference when held 18 inches from the chest. Interfering with the telemetry equipment caused the device to misread the heart's pacing and in one case caused the pacemaker to stop functioning altogether.
frickety frack frick-a-frack.
Next note to self: Don't put the iPod over your heart...
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Can you still use it?
If you keep it on your waist or right hip instead of in your front apron pocket?
Good thing you found the study, though, better to know.
Anhata
www.familynaturally.com
Your Family's General Store, Naturally
oh yeah
I just can't keep it in a breast pocket. And it only interferes as long as it's in range of the pacemaker; once it's moved, the pacemaker resumes function. I have the same problem with cell phones and portable phones; I have to use them on the right only, away from my ICD.
Lynn Siprelle, Editor
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