Study: iPods Do Not Interfere With Pacemaker

March 29, 2008 1:34 p.m. EST

Boston, MA (AHN) - A new study reveals that iPods and other digital music players do not hinder the function of a pacemaker.

This finding contradicts May 2007 study published last year indicating that emissions from iPods are harmful for people for pacemakers. However, cardiac electrophysiologists at Children's Hospital Boston says that iPods are compatible with pacemakers.

The study involves 51 patients, all with active pacemakers or implanted cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and the patient's average age is 22 years. The researchers played four different kinds of digital music directly over each patient's pacemaker or ICD.

The study shows that the low-level magnetic fields and resulting induced voltages made by the iPod poses no risk to patients with implanter pacemakers. Electrocardiographic (EKG) reveals no changes in any of the 255 separate tests and none of the patients showed any symptoms.

"This provides reassuring evidence that should allay the fears of people using iPods and other digital music players," study senior investigator Dr. Charles Berul said.

The researchers suggested that patients should not use digital music device while a doctor is reprogramming their heart device because the music players interfered with the computerized device used by the doctors to check and calibrate the heart devices.

The study appears in the April issue of Heart Rhythm.