ARRLWeb: Pacemakers

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Pacemakers

RFI/EMI menu page

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:

Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD)
WebMD e-medicine Pacemaker and Automatic Internal Cardiac Defibrillator
Guidant Corporation provides Sources of Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) for Pacemakers, Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs), and Heart Failure Devices.
ARRL RF Exposure Regulations News
Includes link to FCC's RF exposure guidelines.
Cellular Phone Antennas and Human Health
How pacemakers work and why they're needed
Radiation Emissions From Microwave Ovens
Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Addressing EMI in medical devices
Medtronic
Information about RF exposure for pacemakers and implanted defibrillators

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:

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:

You can get a photocopy of any ARRL published article for $3 ($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.

If you have any questions concerning the reproduction or distribution of this material, please contact:

tis@arrl.org