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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- People may want to use extra caution when listening to music with mp3 headphones if they have implantable cardioverter devices (ICD) like pacemakers and defibrillators. New research suggests the magnets in mp3 headphones can have an interactive effect with ICDs when they are in close contact, causing them to work improperly.
The magnetic substance neodymium is used in most mp3 headphones -- both clip-on and earbud style. When ICDs are close to magnets, they can stop searching for abnormal heart rhythms, putting patients in potential danger.
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For patients with pacemakers, exposure to the headphones can force the device to deliver signals to the heart, causing it to beat without regard to the patients underlying heart rhythm, William H. Maisel, M.D., director of the Medical Device Safety Institute at Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston, Mass., and lead study author, was quoted as saying. Exposure of a defibrillator to the headphones can temporarily deactivate the defibrillator.
Researchers observed interference in 23 percent of patients when the headphones were within 1.2 inches of the implanted device. In most cases, removing the device restored proper device function.
The results are not only important for patients with ICDs, but for their loved ones. For family members or friends of patients with implantable defibrillators, they should avoid wearing headphones and resting their head right on top of someones device, Dr. Maisel said.
However, some other studies did not find electromagnetic interference between personal electronic devices and ICDs.
SOURCE: Presented at the American Heart Associations Scientific Sessions 2008 in New Orleans, November 8-12, 2008.
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