Cellphones OK for hospitals. But, if you have a pacemaker, be careful leaving department stores!
Calls made on cell phones do not affect hospital
medical devices, U.S. researchers said Friday, but store anti-theft alarms might
make implanted heart devices misfire.
Calls made on cell phones do not affect hospital medical devices, U.S. researchers said Friday, but store anti-theft alarms might make implanted heart devices misfire.
Tests at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, showed normal use of cell phones, also called mobile phones, caused no noticeable interference with patient care equipment, they said.
But a portable CD player caused an abnormal electrocardiographic (ECG) reading when a patient used it near one of the leads of the device, according to one of several reports in the March issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
And at least two reports suggest that anti-theft devices set up near the doors of retail stores can cause implantable rhythm devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators to malfunction.
Hospitals ban cellphones and their lawyers will not care in the least about this report.
On the other hand, retailers should at least tell their employees that if someone collapses between the posts of their anti-theft gizmo, the first best thing to do is drag them away from there!
Posted: Sat - March 10, 2007 at 08:22 AM