If you are among the millions of Americans with a pacemaker or defibrillator, you’d best keep your cellphone or smartwatch away from it. The FDA just issued a warning that cellphones and other smart technology can cause your implanted medical device to malfunction.
According to the FDA, the risk of your cellphone triggering your pacemaker to stop functioning is low. But, high-strength magnets in the iPhone 12 and other such devices can have harmful side effects. In short, they can cause the implanted device to turn on its magnetic safety mode.
For example, your cellphone could cause your implanted cardiac defibrillator to stop detecting irregular heartbeats or situations in which your heart is beating more than 100 times a minute. If your cardiac defibrillator stops working, you might become dizzy or unconscious. And, your cellphone could cause your pacemaker to make your heart beat improperly, which could cause ventricular fibrillation, a potentially deadly outcome.
What to do? If you have an implanted medical device, keep your cellphone and other electronic products that operate through high-strength magnets at least six inches from it. Do not carry your cellphone in your shirt’s upper chest pocket. And, talk to your doctor about other ways to protect yourself and stay safe.
Here’s more from Just Care:
