Key result
Exposure to 50/60 Hz electric fields caused no failure in >99% of clinical configurations at ICNIRP public exposure levels, except for six pacemakers in unipolar mode with maximum sensitivity.
Why the study?
External extremely low-frequency electric and magnetic fields induce internal electric fields, creating uncertainty regarding whether and at what levels active implanted cardiac devices may be perturbed by 50 or 60 Hz electric fields.
Does exposure to 50 or 60 Hz electric fields perturb active implantable cardiac devices?
Population
11 implantable cardioverter-defibrillators and 43 cardiac pacemakers tested in vitro
Comparison
Exposure up to 100 kV/m at 50 Hz and 83 kV/m at 60 Hz across various device configurations
Design
In vitro experimental bench test using a numerical method design
Authors
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Most configurations resist interference at public levels; animal data leaves human unipolar risks and translation open.
Does exposure to 50 or 60 Hz electric fields perturb active implantable cardiac devices?
Implantable cardiac devices configured with nominal sensitivity in bipolar mode are resistant to 50/60 Hz electric fields exceeding low action levels.
Gerçek et al. (2020) studied Active implantable cardiac devices (n=54). 50 or 60 Hz electric field exposure was evaluated on Device perturbation or failure. Exposure to 50/60 Hz electric fields caused no failure in >99% of clinical configurations at ICNIRP public exposure levels, except for six pacemakers in unipolar mode with maximum sensitivity.
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