STUDY OF PACEMAKER AND IMPLANTABLE CARDIOVERTER-DEFIBRILLATOR TRIGGERING BY ELECTRONIC ARTICLE SURVEILLANCE DEVICES (SPICED TEAS)

The magnetic fields emitted by electronic article surveillance (EAS) s ystems (shoplifting gates) are a source of interference for implanted medical devices. In the Study of Pacemaker and Implantable Cardioverte r Defibrillator Triggering by Electronic Article Surveillance Devices (SPICED TEAS), 25 adult volunteers with ICDs and 50 with pacemakers we re exposed to the fields of six different EAS systems. These EAS syste ms used three modes of operation: magnetic audio frequency, swept radi ofrequency, and acoustomagnetic technology. No ICD exhibited interfere nce mimicking sensing of tachyarrhythmias with any EAS system. Pacemak ers interacted variably, depending on the type of EAS system. Swept ra diofrequency systems produced no interaction with any implanted medica l device. One magnetic audio frequency system interacted with 2 of 50 pacemakers. The acoustomagnetic system interacted with 48 of 50 pacema kers. Interactions included asynchronous pacing, atrial oversensing (p roducing ''EAS induced tachycardia'' in the ventricle), ventricular ov ersensing (with pacemaker inhibition), and paced beats resulting from the direct induction of current in the pacemaker (''EAS induced pacing ''). These interactions produced symptoms in some patients (palpitatio ns, presyncope) only while patients were in the EAS field. No pacemake r was reprogrammed. We conclude that high energy, pulsed low frequency EAS systems such as acoustomagnetic systems interfere with most pacem akers. Pacemaker patients should be advised to minimize exposure to th e fields of such systems to prevent the possibility of serious clinica l events.