Pacemakers and magnets

[Joanna221]

My father has recently had a pacemaker installed, which has been a great success.  However, he has a query.  For years he has slept with a small but very powerful horseshoe magnet in his bed to prevent cramp.  (This may be classed as an Old Wives' Tale, but it's undoubtedly very effective - for him anyway!)  However, he is now nervous about whether this magnet could affect the settings of his pacemaker, so has given up sleeping with it in his bed.  But now he's suffering from cramp again.  Could a powerful magnet in fact be dangerous for a pacemaker?

He also wonders about his radio controlled watch, and if this could affect his pacemaker.

If you can't answer these questions, I'd be very grateful if you could suggest who could.

Many thanks.

[Douglas Bogart, MD]

I do not think he should sleep with  the magnet.  The watch  I doubt would have an adverse effect but the Medtronic web site gives thid type of  information or you can call the device company of the device your father has and they can tell you about the watch.

[Joanna221]

Very many thanks for your most helpful reply regarding my father's pacemaker versus his horseshoe magnet.  He will have to resort to his back-up cramp control - a bag of corks.  I'll do the research you suggest re his radio controlled watch.