Pacemaker and EDA and ECG sensors from Fitbit Sense

[adelav]

Hi,

My father has a pacemaker "St Jude Medical - Verity adx xl sr". I bought him a Fitbit Sense smartwatch without considering that the watch has 2 sensors that can affect the good functioning of the pacemaker.

My question would be if my father can safely use the smartwatch taking into account that he will not use the 2 features ECG and EDA which imply some electrical activity going through the body, activity which may affect the pacemaker? 

I don't know if the sensors are dangerous even when they are not used.

Would it be better to buy him another smartwatch that does not have those 2 sensors?

He was using a Fitbit Ionic before and he had no issues. Are the magnets from Fitbit Sense different than the ones from Fitbit Ionic?

I have contacted the pacemaker manufacturer, but I am still waiting for their response.

Thanks a lot for your help!

[SunsetRunner]

Hi @adelav - the pacemaker manufacturer would be better able to answer the question than anyone here. This is a community forum and we are mainly just other Fitbit users. I can tell you from my own experience that I have a spinal cord stimulator implanted in my neck and the manufacturer approved my wearing a Fitbit device on my wrist. But please wait for the manufacture to get the final word 

[LZeeW]

@adelav   I think you should wait until you get your answer from St Jude Medical, just to be sure.  Another option is to contact his cardiologist for an opinion.  It is my understanding that the ECG records a Lead I ECG and that the EDA feature uses the same technology as the stress measurement in a polygraph -- information for his cardiologist.  I am also going to ask a moderator to clarify if the sensors are inactive if you aren't using those features.

Fitbit's only specific restriction is that someone with a pacemaker can't use their Aria/Aria 2 body fat scale.