Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
High-power chargers for electric vehicles: are they safe for patients with pacemakers and defibrillators?
Authors' conclusion
The use of electric cars with high-power chargers by patients with cardiac devices appears to be safe with no evidence of clinically relevant EMI.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (pacemakers and defibrillators) charging battery electric vehicle (BEVs) at high-power charging stations561 charges
- Participants
- 130 patients
- Outcome
- EMI in CIEDs (over-sensing, pacing inhibition, inappropriate tachycardia detection, mode switching or spontaneous reprogramming)
Methodological detailscontinuous 6-lead ECG monitoring, charging cable placed directly over the CIED, devices programmed to maximize electromagnetic interference (EMI) detection, cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) re-interrogated after all charges for evidence of EMI, 4 BEVs and a test vehicle (350 kW charge capacity) charged at high-power charging stations
- Continuous 6-lead ECG monitoring
- Charging cable placed directly over the CIED
- Devices programmed to maximize EMI detection
- CIEDs re-interrogated after all charges for evidence of EMI
- 4 BEVs and a test vehicle (350 kW charge capacity) charged at high-power charging stations
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
EMI
Risk of EMI, patient-based analysis
0 of 130
95% CI 0%–2%
Risk of EMI, charge-based analysis
0 of 561
95% CI 0%–0.6%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Effective magnetic field
- Along the charging cable
- 38.65 µT
- At the charging station
- 77.9 µT
Original publication
High-power chargers for electric vehicles: are they safe for patients with pacemakers and defibrillators? Europace. Published 17 April 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →