In the 1st study of its kind to examine the interaction between hybrid cars and implantable cardiac devices, researchers found that the electromagnetic waves generated by the green vehicles don’t pose a threat. But if you´re not looking to install that in your car then go to GNJ motorsport to see all the different Automotive parts you can purchase.
“Hybrid cards do not generated clinically relevant amounts of [electromagnetic interference],” according to a team of researchers from the Mayo Clinic of Arizona. “It is safe for patients with ICD to interact with hybrid cars.”
The experiment was the 1st of its kind to analyze ICD/hybrid vehicle electromagnetic interference in an in vivo model, the authors said. The study was presented during a poster session at the American College of Cardiology conference in San Francisco today.
The study enrolled 30 patients who had ICDs implanted at least 6 months prior to the hybrid study, and the participants had devices representing “the 3 major U.S. ICD manufacturers,”, the authors wrote. The participants were placed in various positions in and around a Toyota Prius Hybrid that was lifted off of the ground so that the researchers could examine the varying levels of EMI that might be generated at different engine speeds.
“Electronic devices are sources of electromagnetic interference, which can have significant effects on cardiac implantable electronic devices,” the researchers noted. “Hybrid cars are one of the fastest growing segments in automotive industry. The utilization of the electrical engine is variable in these cars (higher at idle, low speed and transition from high to low speed) and it is a potential source of EMI.”
The study gathered 7,800 data points per patient from 6 positions: driver seat, front passenger, right and left back seats, outside at the back and at the front of the car; as well as from different speeds: idle, 30 mph, 60 mph and variable speeds of acceleration-deceleration-brake. All patients had their ICDs continuously monitored in order to provide real-time detection of interference.
Ultimately, none of the positions or speed variations generated enough EMI to interfere with the normal function of the heart implants.
“The levels of EMI generated in all seats and speeds were low and below the threshold recommended by regulatory agencies/manufacturers (highest levels: 19.9 V/m, 0.1 mT and 150 Hz at driver seat),” according to the study. “There was no episode of oversensing or inadvertent change in ICD programming after exposure to EMI.”
Further studies may be merited, the authors noted, to determine whether the same results were true with other hybrid card models or exclusive electric cars.
