Smartwatches can trigger a heart attack in vulnerable patients, study finds
The small electrical current they emit can interfere with medical devices such as pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs).
lead author Dr Benjamin Sanchez Terrones, a computer engineer at the University of Utah, said: “This study raises a red flag.
“These devices interfere with the proper operation of the CIEDs (cardiac implantable electronic devices) we tested.”
But the team stressed to most people that the devices remain safe, and studies suggest that people with smartwatches are actually healthier.
But high-tech watches that track exercise levels for health-conscious people could be deadly for a small group of people, the University of Utah research team warned.
In the case of a pacemaker, which sends small electrical impulses to the heart when it is beating too slowly, the small electrical current from the bioimpedance can trick the heart into believing it is beating fast enough, thereby preventing the pacemaker from doing its job do to do work when it is supposed to. Unpleasant
The lead author Dr. Benjamin Sanchez Terrones, a computer engineer at the University of Utah, said the study “shows a red flag.”
He continued, “We performed this work in simulations and laboratory tests according to guidelines accepted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“These devices interfere with the proper operation of the CIEDs (cardiac implantable electronic devices) we tested.”
Pacemakers are used in people with heart problems that cause the organ to beat too slowly.
They work by using wires to see what the heart is doing. If it slows down or misses a heartbeat, the pacemaker sends an electrical impulse to restore the heartbeat.
It is estimated that up to three million Americans have one.
ICDs are less common, but they also monitor the heart rate and restore it by electrocuting it if necessary.
Soccer player Christian Eriksen is known to have had one after collapsing on the pitch during Euro 2020 due to cardiac arrest.
The latest study, published in the journal Heart Rhythm, used computer simulations rather than real people, so the results may not be directly applicable.
They placed smart devices on the models and tested how much they were affected by the electric currents.
At home with smart scales, watches and rings a measurement technique called bioimpedance.
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They deliver a very small, imperceptible electrical current, measured in microamperes, into the body.
The electric current flows through the body and the response is measured by the sensor to determine the person’s body composition, such as the person’s skeletal muscle or fat, stress level, or vital signs such as respiratory rate.
Researchers evaluated the operation of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices while applying the same electrical current that would be used in bioimpedance technology.
The researchers also compared the noise level with the maximum levels defined in the electromagnetic interference standard for the smart devices.
The simulations showed that voltage levels exceeded the safe thresholds, suggesting that the devices can deliver dangerous shocks to the heart.
Smart rings and smart scales were less disruptive than smartwatches.
In the case of a pacemaker, the small electrical current of bioimpedance can fool the heart into thinking it is beating fast enough and prevent the pacemaker from doing its job when it should.
The researchers wrote that the results suggest that “commercially available devices using bioimpedance technology may surpass current standards.
‘[They could] has at least the theoretical “potential” to intervene, with unintended catastrophic consequences.”
Oversensing or oversensing the smart device can lead to the “withholding of life-saving pacing in a pacemaker-dependent patient” or “inappropriate shocks in an ICD patient commonly resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder.”
In addition to acting as a pacemaker, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) can shock the heart to restore a normal heart rhythm.
A portable bioimpedance device can cause the defibrillator to deliver an electric shock to the patient, which can be painful.
The pacemaker can perceive smartwatch interference as a heart signal, allowing your ICD to shock your heart to get it back to a normal rhythm.
Co-author Prof. Benjamin Steinberg, also from Utah, said: “We have patients who are dependent on pacemakers for life.
“If the pacemaker becomes confused by interference, it may stop working during the time it is confused.
“If this disorder lasts longer, the patient may pass out or worse.”
Almost all, if not all, ICDs already warn patients about the possibility of interference with some electronic devices due to magnetic fields, such as e.g. B. Carry a phone in a shirt pocket near a pacemaker.
Because of these risks, none of these devices have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patients with cardiac implanted electronic devices (CIEDs).
But Dr Sanchez-Terrones says this is the first time a study has uncovered issues related to a device’s bioimpedance sensing technology.
He said: “The scientific community knows nothing about it. No one looked to see if it was really a problem or not.”
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
