Cardiac pacemakers and electromagnetic interferences

Within the hospital environment it has long been thought that the group of patients most at risk from electromagnetic interference is those who have a cardiac pacemaker implanted. This is even borne out in recent standards documents like the NRPB´s GS-11, where it is stated in section 28; `It is possible that interference with some models of cardiac pacemaker may occur below the reference level of electromagnetic fields . . .´. This is quite incorrect. There can be problems with pacemakers, but, in general, they are remarkably impervious to the effects of EM fields. The author examines the technology, describes the application of pacemakers in the support of patients with bradycardic symptom and the problem of electromagnetic compatibility