I saw a TV show where the criminals try to kill a person by holding him up against a drier with magnets. Of course the guy dies.
How does that work in real life? I know pacemakers are effected by microwaves and such but what happens when someone with a pacemaker gets too close?
In theory a pacemaker can be affected by a microwave oven, but I doubt that anyone has ever actually be injured this way. Older pacemakers could have certain settings (pulse rate, for example) changed by a magnet, but I don’t think newer units works this way, and I doubt that it would be possible to interfere with a modern pacemaker with any magnet that one is likely to have access to.
Nothing. Modern pacemakers aren’t even affected by microwave oven leakage emissions. I can’t even remember the last time I saw a warning sign for pacemaker patients on or near a microwave oven.
Here is an article which includes a list of thinks which may pose a risk to pacemaker patients. Magnets are listed as posing some risk, but this only applies to very strong ones such as in industrial motors and medical equipment (like MRIs). I am, however, surprised to see EAS systems on the list–these are the theft-detection systems you see in stores; some such systems employ a low-power magnetic field to detect a specially-magnetized tag. The risk is described as very low, and I suspect it’s a case of “better safe than sorry” on the part of the American Heart Association.
Well this was a show from the early 80s. And they held him up to the drier and switched it on and in five minutes he was dead.
Does a pacemaker always regulate the heart? Or just when it needs a kick back to normal?
I’ve seen warning signs and markings around areas where high-power degaussers are used. Someone figured out where the safe perimeter was for people wearing pacemakers.
It depends on what’s actually been implanted in a person. Pacemakers deliver a steady stream of pulses to keep a heart running at the right rate, and ICDs are implanted defibrillators that actgivate and deliver a shock only when there’s a problem.
Strong magnets are used in programming and testing modern pacemakers. There’s an internal switch that closes when the magnet is nearby, and a pacemaker will switch to a default pacing rate that may be different than what’s been programmed. An ICD will not be able to trigger while in programming mode.
So, if a person with a pacemaker gets too close to a strong magnet, about all that should be able to happen is their pulse rate will change a bit. If they have an ICD, and experience fibrillation, they could have an adverse experience.
My sister hase a pacemaker, and carries an ID carry that exempts her from the airport security scanners, due to the magnetic field. So its by no means an urban myth.
That’s about as accurate an indication of a problem as citing the “no using cellphones while fueling” signs as proof that they cause fires.
A good friend of mine from college was at CES in Vegas about ten years ago and had problems with his pacing. He ended up in the local ER where an intern decided to show off the magnet trick.
He actually said, “Hey, check this out!” and proceeded to place and remove the magnet.
Repeatedly.
Pulse goes up, pulse goes down. Pulse goes up, pulse goes down. Pulse goes up, pulse goes down.
Finally a friend got word back to his regular cardiologist, who was the department head at Baylor. Words were had, and the Vegas intern was removed from the case.
Maybe the Mythbusters could fit Buster with a pacemaker to test the validity of this one.
With extremely powerful magnets, like you’ll find in some laboratories, you might have a problem with the pacemaker being strongly attracted, if it’s made with any iron alloys. One of the magnetism labs here, you have to leave your keys outside while it’s running, for the same reason.
Or they could just let the pacemaker manufacturers explain it.