Cardiac pacing

Article Abstract:

A variety of pacemakers are used to treat different types of heart rhythm problems. The decision to install a pacemaker and the choice of pacemaker depend upon the patients symptoms, type of arrhythmias, and level of general health and physical activity. Pacemakers are often installed to treat sinus-node problems, heart block, and certain kinds of fainting caused by irregular heart beats. Pacemakers transmit pulses of electrical current to muscle cells of the heart which then send a wave of current through connected tissue. The frequency of the pulses and the amount of current can be adjusted. Pacemakers have three to five letter codes that convey what parts of the heart they act upon, respond to, and how they affect heart pace. Some pacemakers regulate heart rate with sensors that respond to physical, chemical, or electrical stimuli during exercise.

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Interference with cardiac pacemakers by cellular telephones

Article Abstract:

Cellular telephones should not interfere with a cardiac pacemaker unless they are held close to the chest. Researchers performed 5,533 tests on 980 patients with pacemakers using five types of cellular phone. The patients were attached to an ECG machine to record any cardiac abnormalities. Only 6.6% of the tests resulted in any serious interference with the pacemaker. This only occurred when the phone was held over the pacemaker. When in the normal position at the ear, the phone caused no significant interference.

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Cardiac pacemakers and cellular telephones

Article Abstract:

Patients with pacemakers should hold a cellular phone away from the body when dialing and put the phone against the ear opposite the side of the chest the pacemaker is on. A 1997 study of patients with pacemakers found that cellular phones caused symptoms in 7.2% of the patients. The most frequent symptom was palpitations. Most pacemakers are designed to ignore spontaneous electromagnetic pulses below a certain threshold. The pacemaker can be programmed to make this threshold as high as possible.

Editorial

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