CybersecurityElectronic anti-theft systems pose a threat to cardiac device patients
Researchers say that electronic anti-theft systems still post a threat to cardiac device patients. Experts say that even though reported events are rare, prolonged exposure to electronic anti-theft systems, also called electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems, can cause pacing therapy to drop beats or in the worst case leave pacemaker dependent patients with no heartbeat, and cause ICDs to deliver inappropriate shocks.
Electronic anti-theft systems still post a threat to cardiac device patients, according to research presented the other day at CARDIOSTIM - EHRA EUROPACE 2016 by Professor Robert Stevenson, senior scientist at Greatbatch Medical in Santa Clarita, California.
“Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) are critical to patients’ health,” said paper co-author Dr. Rod Gimbel, an electrophysiologist at Case Western Reserve University. “Pacemakers provide pacing support, without which there would be no heart beat at all for a pacemaker dependent patient. Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) deliver pacing or shocks to rescue patients from potentially life threatening arrhythmias.”
The European Society of Cardiology reports that even though reported events are rare, prolonged exposure to electronic anti-theft systems, also called electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems, can cause pacing therapy to drop beats or in the worst case leave pacemaker dependent patients with no heartbeat, and cause ICDs to deliver inappropriate shocks. In 2000 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advised CIED patients not to linger or lean next to EAS systems. But since then manufacturers have created sleeves for retailers to cover traditional pedestal systems with advertising and new systems are hidden under floors, in walls and in doors.
Dr. Gimbel said: “We tell patients ‘don’t linger, don’t lean’ but that advice is hard to follow when systems are invisible. To make matters worse, advertising draws patients closer to the pedestals. Some shops have placed camouflaged pedestals next to a chair or in a checkout line, so patients may be next to them for some time, and sofas are put on top of under floor systems, encouraging patients to sit for long periods.”
The current study was conducted at Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) in Atlanta and assessed the safety of modern EAS systems. The investigators tested pacemakers and ICDs with up to five CIED manufacturers against the three types of EAS systems currently in use: pedestals (five manufacturers), doorframes/in wall (two manufacturers) and under floor (two manufacturers). The under floor system was tested flat and at a 30 degree angle to mimic slouching in a chair. The results were recorded in four categories: no interference, prolonged pacemaker inhibition, inappropriate shocks, and other inappropriate tachycardia therapy such as anti-tachycardia pacing or subclinical shocks.
The tests were conducted with the pacemakers and ICDs in a tank filled with a type of saline that mimics the electric properties of body tissue. Cardiac device leads were placed in the same loop
