Fitness trackers could interfere with pacemakers and defibrillators, study says
BOSTON - Could your fitness tracker be putting your health at risk?
Fitness and wellness trackers in the form of smart watches, rings, and scales that allow consumers to monitor their own heart rates, blood pressure, and other vital signs have exploded in popularity in recent years, but researchers say they could be posing a health risk for certain individuals.
They looked at devices from three leading manufacturers in the lab and found that the tiny amount of electrical current delivered to the body could potentially interfere with certain implantable heart devices like pacemakers and defibrillators, possibly resulting in interruptions in pacing or unnecessary shocks to the heart.
They now need to study how these fitness trackers directly impact people with cardiac implantable devices.
