Can Vaping Interfere With Implanted Cardiac Defibrillators?

The report is titled "Using E-Cigarettes Unknowingly Reverses the Magnet of Implanted Cardiac Defibrillators," detailing a case involving a 48-year-old man with an ICD who became concerned after hearing beeping from the device. After tests to analyze the functionality of his device, data from remote transmission indicated interactions with four magnets near his ICD. These corresponded with the dates and times when the patient heard the device emit a steady tone.

 

Upon further inquiry, the patient revealed that he often kept his vape device in his left chest pocket, and when researchers brought the e-cigarette close to the defibrillator, the device emitted a beeping sound. The patient also mentioned that he used e-cigarette products and was unaware that his JUUL device contained integrated magnetic components.

 

Electronic devices need to be kept away from cardiac implants.

"The main takeaway for patients is not to hold vaping devices or any other electronic devices that generate magnetic fields directly against their chest if they have an implanted device," said Julie Shea, co-author of the case report from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. "If patients store their e-cigarettes near the defibrillator, such as in a shirt or jacket pocket above the device, it may temporarily disable the defibrillator's ability to detect and treat potentially life-threatening arrhythmias."

 

"To our knowledge, this is the first reported interaction between e-cigarettes and implanted defibrillators," Shea added. The clinical research director at Johns Hopkins University’s Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease agreed with this statement.

 

He stated, "The patient experienced no adverse health consequences, but it indicates that vaping devices may at least temporarily interfere with implanted cardiac devices." "The main takeaway for patients is not to hold vaping devices or any other electronic devices that generate magnetic fields directly against their chest if they have an implanted device."

 

Does your e-cigarette contain magnetic components?

Meanwhile, JUUL does recommend that vapers keep their devices away from key cards, credit cards, and other items with magnetic strips (such as pacemakers). The authors did not discuss whether other vape devices have similar magnetic components but advised vapers to find information about their preferred products.