Evaluation of the Effect of Electromagnetic Fields Emitted by Electric Vehicles on Cardiac Pacemakers

Pacemakers can be affected by external electromagnetic fields in some cases. For this reason, it is necessary to know the potentially risky sources of interfering fields and the effect they may have on the patient's health. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the risks of using electric vehicles by patients with pacemakers. Measurements of electric and magnetic field strengths were performed in selected models of electric vehicles. Using a custom-built human body phantom and three explanted Biotronik pacemakers, we assessed whether the emitted fields could affect pacemaker function and whether any observed effects were clinically relevant. Both experiments were conducted under the maximum load in model situations: in the driver and passenger seats, in the back seat and near the charging cable during charging. The electric and magnetic fields detected were not assessed as significant in terms of risk to the pacing system. This study presents preliminary results obtained using pacemakers from a single manufacturer. Based on the monitored electrograms and pacing parameters, no impact on pacemaker function was identified in the three tested Biotronik devices.