Dr. Maisel said patients with pacemakers and ICDs are told that magnets can interfere with their implant’s function, but they may not be aware that headphones contain the magnetic substance neodymium, which helps with sound reproduction.
The magnetic strength of the headphones varies by brand and model, but the study found that 3 centimeters, or about 1.2 inches, was a safe distance for all.
When in use, headphones are obviously a safe distance from the implanted device. However, Dr. Maisel says pacemaker and defibrillator patients shouldn’t tuck them in their front pockets, drape them over their shoulders, or allow a loved one to rest his head on their stomach while mellowing out to an iPod.
However, not all experts are convinced that MP3-player headphones pose a hazard to heart implant patients.
Karol Watson, MD, PhD, codirector of preventative cardiology at UCLA, says that the study is theoretical and needs more data to show the risk is real. At one point, for example, it was even thought that digital music players, such as iPods, could interfere with pacemakers; later studies—including one by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration—later refuted that claim.
“There’s no reported cases in the headphone study,” Dr. Watson says. “Plenty of people with implanted cardiac devices listen to iPods, so if there was something there, we would have seen it.”
Other research presented at the meeting suggests that most devices do not affect the implants in a significant way, even if they sometimes produce electromagnetic interference in a laboratory test. They include products and devices such as Bluetooth headsets used with cell phones, handheld metal detectors used by airport security, iPods, iPhones, electric blankets, and pills that are swallowed and used to image internal organs by transmitting wireless data.
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Comments (1)
Hi,
I have an ICD and was wondering whether any studies had been performed to determine the wisdom of riding a motorcycle, other than the obvious dangers. I have heard that the motorcycle’s voltage regulator can cause the ICD to fire an electrical charge.