Senior techies just dying to get an iPod
By George Gardner
Apple’s iPod was recently criticized by a Michigan high school senior, Jay Thaker, at the Heart Rhythm Society’s annual meeting in Denver, claiming that the portable music player caused pacemakers to malfunction in 50% of patients.
“People commonly strap their iPod to the arm right next to their pacemaker or put it in a shirt pocket. There are quite a few situations where they come in proximity to the pacemaker — closer than we would like them to,” said Thaker.
Modern pacemakers are said to be shielded against interference from external electronics such as Microwaves, Cell Phones, Computers, and motorized electronics as well.
Each patient’s pacemaker stores a timeline, documenting heart rhythms and storing information that can be used by doctors to diagnose any problems that may occur.
“If a physician was to go back and look at that (history), the physician might think that the patient was having abnormal heart rhythms,” said Jay Thaker, referring to past pacemaker interference caused by an iPod.
But the largest concern is that older patients who use an iPod, especially around their chest on a necklace, may be treated for conditions that aren’t present in their body as a result of the pacemaker history.
“In addition, if an iPod stopped a pacemaker from working in a patient who was totally dependent on their pacemaker, it could cause the heart to stop,” Thaker said.
Thaker’s research team consisted of doctors from Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, and was conducted by holding an iPod close to a patient’s chest for approximately 10 seconds.
After a review of the pacemaker history, it was noted that 29% of the 83 patients experienced a “telemetry interference” and 20% of the patients pacemaker’s simply misread the hearts function known as “over sensing.” One patient (1.2%) who participated in the study actually had his pacemaker stop working.
The interference was usually detected when the iPod reached as close as 18″ from the patient’s chest. Thaker recognized that patients with pacemakers usually aren’t the average iPod user, but surely need to be aware of the risk.
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May 11th, 2007
“criticized by a Michigan high school senior”
I hope you realise how little this makes this article actual news, for your own sake.
What this whole thing _should_ do is inspire a series of articles on journalists jumping on something without any confirmation whatsoever, in the fear of being left behind. But I don’t suppose that will happen anytime soon.