Pacemakers
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Additional information on this subject and related topics can be found in back issues of QST and the following:
The ARRL RFI Book
RF Exposure and You
The ARRL has an extensive catalog of books and materials related to Amateur Radio.
Articles
Note: Some of the following articles are in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. To view and print these files, you'll need a copy of Adobe's Acrobat Reader program. (Version 3.0 or later required). More information here.
Interference: Its Potential Effect on Pacemaker Systems
Pacemakers, Interference and Amateur radio (1,117,990 Bytes, PDF File)
QST July 1994, pp. 34-36
Can hams who use pacemakers safely pursue Amateur Radio? And if they can, what safety precautions should they take?
Note:
Contact information for suppliers mentioned in the above articles should first be confirmed using TIS Address Database Search.
Web Links:
Additional Web Links and Information:
St. Jude Medical
has the FAQ Can I use
ham radio or a CB radio if I have a pacemaker?
The answer to this FAQ is as follows:
Yes. The use of ham radio or CB radio should
not damage or re program St. Jude Medical pacemakers. There is a remote
possibility that the microphone or transmitter may cause a single-beat
inhibition.
We don't anticipate any interaction, but your physician or health care
professional may elect to program the pacemaker to a less sensitive setting. If
you notice interference, verify that the antenna is at least 3 feet away for
portable units and 10 feet away for base stations.
All of our currently manufactured pacemakers have feed through filters that are
highly effective in the mega-Hertz frequency range. The effectiveness of this
filtering provides an additional level of safety for people with St. Jude
Medical pacemakers.
Need additional information? Contact Cardiac
Rhythm Management Technical Support
The
American Heart Association has a page on Pacemakers. It contains the following quote:
CB radios, electric drills, electric blankets, electric
shavers, ham radios, heating pads, metal detectors, microwave ovens, TV
transmitters and remote control TV changers, in general, have not been shown to damage pacemaker pulse
generators, change pacing rates or totally inhibit pacemaker output.
Cardiology
Associates has a page on Pacemakers. It contains the following two quotes:
Quote
1: Avoid
being close to very strong magnets, such as MRI equipment, heavy duty
electrical equipment, radio-transmitting towers, ham radios, certain surgical
instruments, and cellular phones.
Quote
2: Cellular
phones, CB radios and ham radios can sometimes interfere with the function of
some pacemakers. Cellular phone and CB radio antennas must remain at least six
inches away from the pacemaker. Hence do not carry a cellular phone in your
chest pocket, even when it is turned off. When using a cellular phone, hold it
to the ear farthest from the pacemaker generator. Ham radio antenna should
remain at least six feet away from the pacemaker.
The FDA has the
following web page on Electromagnetic
Interference (EMI) Testing of Medical Devices. Also see Important Information on Anti-Theft and Metal Detector Systems and Pacemakers, ICDs, and Spinal Cord Stimulators from the FDA.
Article Reprints:
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($5 for nonmembers) for each article requested. Contact the ARRL Technical
Department (reprints@arrl.org ),
1-860-594-0390) if you wish to get photocopies.
This information was prepared as a membership service by the American Radio Relay League, Inc., Technical Information Service, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111 (860) 594-0214. Email: tis@arrl.org (Internet). ARRL HQ is glad to provide this information on the Web free of charge as a service to League members and affiliated clubs.
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American Radio Relay League
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(email: tis@arrl.org)
Page last modified: 12:37 PM, 10 May 2006 ET
Page author: webmaster@arrl.org
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