Is a pacemaker sensitive to the magnetic field that surrounds NightStar?
NightStar can affect a pacemakers normal mode of operation. If the heart rate of a person with a pacemaker drops below a preset value (typically 85 beats per minute), an internal sensor monitoring the persons heart rate activates the pacemaker. A pacemaker will not send electrical signals to a persons heart unless their heart rate drops below the preset value. In order to test whether a pacemaker is operating properly, a reed switch is built into the unit so that an external magnet held up to the patients chest will close the reed switch and deactivate the internal heart rate sensor. When this happens, the pacemaker turns on and begins sending electrical signals to the heart at the preset value. Pacemakers are typically tested once or twice per year in specially equipped hospitals. If a pacemaker begins sending signals to the heart at a rate of 85 beats per minute and the heart is already beating at a greater rate, an arrhythmia condition can be triggered. The possibility of this occur
