Are HR monitoring straps safe with a heart pace-maker?

careful

I've just been fitted with pacemaker and I need to know if it is safe to use a Garmin HR monitoring strap. It is a receiver rather than a transmitter, but on the other hand it does send signals to the GPS device via ANT+. Anyone know if it might affect the pacemaker?

imposter2.0

You really should be asking your consultant these kinds of questions, rather than random people on the internet...

gethinceri

^+1

taon24

I don't see why it should cause a problem. Polar say 'do so at your own risk' and recommend a check with a doctor to ensure no interference.

careful

I completely agree that I mustn't rely totally on info from here. However, I've already checked with my consultant, and the cardiology technical staff. Although they have clarified the situation with various other items (eg eletric toothbrushes, microwave ovens etc) they have no information on heart straps but promised to contact Garmin and get back to me (some days ago). I finally managed to contact Garmin myself by phone, and the customer support person read out an official policy statement that included caveats such as "when tested under XYZ condition...." but basically said "no problem". The stakes are fairly high, and I am still not fully confident about the response from Garmin. I just thought someone on here might have gone down the same route and have some useful info. Thanks anyway; I wont be using it until I am more convinced.

kingstonian

I wouldn't use it until my consultant (and nobody else) gave me the green light.

Dippydog2

I thought these days you could get ones that work on different parts of your body, like built into the helmet or something. Not sure why I think this. Might have read it somewhere. Worth a bit of research.

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/05/life ... rated.html

Dorset_Boy

If a forumite has been in a similar position and it wasn't safe, they might not be with us any longer.... :shock:

amaferanga

ANT+ is very low energy - it's not going to interfere with the operation of a pacemaker. ANT+ operates at the same frequency as some wireless video senders, but has a much shorter range (i.e. lower power) so if those sort of devices are considered safe then a Garmin HR strap will obviously be safe as well.

Pacemakers are pretty robust devices - even with MRI scanners it's heating of the device from the RF energy involved in the scan (>1W/kg so several orders of magnitude more than ANT+) that's more of a concern than interfering with the operation of the device.

The more likely problem is that your Garmin won't reliably display HR due to the unusual ECG waveform.

careful

Thanks amaferanga, useful info. I will check again with my cardiologist when I see him in a couple of weeks but your reply makes sense.

stueys

I've no idea as to whether it's safe or not but if you're concerned use an optical, wrist heart rate monitor. I occasionally have gone out with my basis watch and garmin HRM on and they both track each other very consistently.

top_bhoy

careful wrote:

I completely agree that I mustn't rely totally on info from here. However, I've already checked with my consultant, and the cardiology technical staff. Although they have clarified the situation with various other items (eg eletric toothbrushes, microwave ovens etc) they have no information on heart straps but promised to contact Garmin and get back to me (some days ago). I finally managed to contact Garmin myself by phone, and the customer support person read out an official policy statement that included caveats such as "when tested under XYZ condition...." but basically said "no problem". The stakes are fairly high, and I am still not fully confident about the response from Garmin. I just thought someone on here might have gone down the same route and have some useful info. Thanks anyway; I wont be using it until I am more convinced.

I know very little about pacemakers other than it is heart related but will assume that a pacemaker is an electromagnetic device used to assist the heart. If this is the case, instead of asking Garmin, I'd turn the question around a little and feel it would be better to ask the manufacturer of the pacemaker under what electromagnetic environments should users be avoiding. I feel certain that their electromagnetic susceptibility testing will have been more rigorous and pertinent than Garmins.

I'd be surprised if consultants can't access this information fairly readily. I'd also be surprised to hear of a HR monitor being problematic since transmitters are generally low power but obviously cannot be certain without seeing the full data including frequencies.

taon24

http://www.bostonscientific.com/templatedata/imports/HTML/CRM/pprc_intl/acl/en/pdfs/EMI/EN_ACL_Polar_Heart_Rate_Monitors_080408.pdf
http://www.bostonscientific-international.com/templatedata/imports/HTML/CRM/A_Closer_Look/pdfs/ACL_Polar_20110427.pdf
these guys make pacemakers and have commented on the situation with the usual disclaimers.

MRI scanners often switch off pacemakers as magnets are used to turn off pacemakers. therefore they might stop working while you are inside the scanner. this is true of many, but not all pacemakers
MRI will also wipe some programming, again a potential problem with some pacemakers
the scanners are very, very powerful though.

scottishgeek

It is wise to be cautious. Once implanted pacemaker settings are programmed via a wand type device placed externally over the area where the pacemaker sits and communicates with it via RF energy. Manufacturers are loath to provide information on their programmers however the frequency at which ANT+ transmits is an already crowded part of the spectrum and I would expect manufacturers would make their pacemakers immune from RF energy in that region (and likely all harmonics as well).

Manufacturers provide patient guides on advice for what you should avoid and I presume you already have such a guide. In their guide, for example, Medtronic give their recommendations for distances from transmitting devices such as CB radios. e.g portable CB's should be greater than 30cm from the pacemaker. As their output power is significantly greater than an ANT+ device I suspect you will have no problem with interference.

St Jude Medical have also tested their pacemakers with Garmin's Forerunner 50 HRM and been declared safe to use with them.

Hopefully you will get a response from you consultant soon that with give you assurance or, conversely, a definite 'don't touch with a bargepole' although I expect the chances of the latter are extremely slim.

careful

Thanks all for the good advice. I appreciate the point about low power, but it worries me that the HR monitor will be extremely close to the pacemaker. Most general advice about use of things such as mobile phones, microwave cookers, induction hob cookers etc seems to be to maintain as much distance as possible (eg hold phone to ear furthest from the pacemaker). In my case the implant is next to my left collarbone. As such it would be extremely close to the HR monitor strap. If all else fails, I will investigate other HR monitor types. I have power-meters on 2 bikes; I reckon they should be ok due to the much greater distance. I may have to rely on these and forget HR monitoring.
I have been advised by my cardiologist that the effect of most problem devices such as airport scanners is to trip a pacemaker switch, restoring it to factory settings. Even if the pacemaker failed totally, my heart would continue to function, but would revert to the occasional pauses which were the reason for having it fitted.
Finally, a note of caution for those who find the idea of pacemakers humorous. My atrial fibrillation and pauses were only found by by my wearing a 24 hour monitor after my experiencing very occasional light-headedness and dizziness. I was still cycling 200 miles per week in very hilly terrain. The cardiologists I have spoken to all agree that there is growing evidence that this condition is often linked to long-term endurance sports such as cycling, especially if it involves sustained training efforts. Be warned!

cq20

The usual caveats apply here i.e. I'm not a doctor etc.

I've had pacemakers fitted for the past 15 years (the first one lasted 11 years and the box, but not the leads were replaced 4 years ago). My approach has been to avoid the most likely sources of interference e.g. I keep my mobile phone on my right side (the pacemaker is on the left next to the collar bone) but I do occasionally use a chest heart rate monitor strap and have noticed no ill effects at all.

My pacemaker only fires up if my pulse drops below 40bpm and sometimes I think I can feel it or at least a change in heart rate (only happens when lying down). However, I have felt the pacemaker switch to its emergency setting when the nurse tested this by placing a stuffing big magnet on top of it, as part of the post-op test. There was no mistaking it. I know that this particular model paces at a steady 60bpm using a higher output than normal and you can feel it. It's difficult to describe but the whole body tingles / goes on edge / buzzes. As soon as the magnet was removed everything reverted back to normal i.e. the emergency mode is transient.

When I spoke to the consultant, he mentioned that the condition was not uncommon in athletes (I don't claim to be one but I guess it is all relative to the people who go through his clinic) and that airport metal detectors were of no danger at all. They don't want you going through them because you would trip the alarm (which then causes them to do multiple passes and the hand search you rather than just do the hand search to begin with) and if, for whatever reason, there was a problem, they could be held liable. Being a cautious type, I would recommend when you are hand searched that if they do come near you with the wand (some do, some don't) that you don't let them take it above waist height. If there is a dispute, call the supervisor because many of the security people (UK and abroad) are not all that well trained and….. make sure your carry your pacemaker ID card; it gives them something to document if nothing else.

Other than that, getting the annual check-up and telling the DVLA, I've found it very much a fit and forget thing.

careful

Thanks cq20, very reassuring. One thing that has changed is that you no longer need to notify DVLA (for standard pacemeker), just no driving for 7 days following implantation & notify insurers.

cq20

careful Are you sure about the DVLA. This is from their June 2014 web page

You must tell DVLA if you have been fitted with a pacemaker.

You can be fined up to £1,000 if you don’t tell DVLA about a medical condition or treatment that affects your driving. You may be prosecuted if you’re involved in an accident as a result.

.

I had to sign an agreement that as long as I had the annual check-up, I was cleared to drive. They also took the opportunity to downgrade my licence to vehicles of 3 tons max (IIRC) and I am not allowed to drive minibuses with more than x people (neither of which bother me). In any event when you contact the insurers, the first thing the ask (IME) is "have you informed the DVLA?"

andy9964

Might be worth getting one of the Garmin wristband things, they have ANT+ and HRM

Old_Timer

I totally agree with your speaking with your cardiologist about the strap's potential to cause disruption of your pacemaker. One thing to keep in mind when you are asking for safety recommendations from the manufacturer, or even from the pacemaker's manufacturer, they are going to err on the side of caution. Their legal departments have coached them on this and have iron clad policies about saying things will be fine. In the current litigious societies we live in, in the US and UK, they aren't going to risk giving you the okay without shielding their selves from liability.

As you have said in one of your replies, there is nothing humorous about having a pacemaker. With the medical findings about Afib and other arrhythmia and their dangers the use of pacemakers and blood thinners for controlling the problems will increase. My mum has Afib and takes blood thinners, the warnings about side effects and what can interfere with them are numerous, she has found some of these to be very true the hard way. You did well in contacting your cardiologist and in asking Garmin for guidance, just remember to exercise your own good sense about this issue. I'd be for erring on the side of caution and using something with a sensor farther away from the pace maker, as you and the others here have suggested. Best wishes on your riding and on your managing the cardiac issues you have.

Regards

careful

Thanks old timer, and everyone for the good advice. I think a wristband may be the answer, but will discuss this with the pacemaker technicians when I go for a check up. Thanks also cq20. I have checked with DVLA and I do have to submit form H1, but do not need to await approval before driving. I simply have to comply with my cardiologists advice ie, not to drive for 7 days (already passed). Ive already tried a very short, very gentle ride and will build on that until I have more confidence.
I feel ok though, still a bit nervous about accidentally disturbing the wires, especially as the surgeon punctured my lung getting one of the wires in. My chest cavity had to be drained by inserting a tap between my ribs, attached to what looked like a hydraulic brake bleeding kit (tube going to a container of water, and wait until the bubbles stop). Remove drain tap and seal the hole using a glue that smelled just like puncture patch glue! All a bit bizarre and scary, but quite painless.