from German Heart Centre in Munich
Millions of people have been fitted with cardiac devices such as pacemakers or implantable defibrillators, but wearers are being advised to keep a safe distance from smartphones to avoid electrical interference that might cause the devices to stop working briefly or the interference might be seen by a implantable defibrillator as a cardiac condition that results in an unwanted, painful shock. Researchers at the German Heart Centre in Munich acknowledges that interference between cardiac devices and smartphones is uncommon, but can occur. They say the most vulnerable phases of a call are when the phone is ringing and connecting to a network. Do not store a smartphone in a pocket over the cardiac device and patients should hold the phone on the ear opposite the device. The FDA recommends at least six to eight inches separation.