New research by a US hospital has found that iPods are safe for those with pacemakers to use.
Fears have been previously raised that the portable music players could affect the performance of such cardiac systems, but a study by the Children's Hospital Boston has said that the devices have no effect.
Published in the Heart Rhythm journal, the research featured 255 separate tests and found no patients had symptoms that their pacemakers were malfunctioning.
However, the hospital's senior investigator Dr Charles Berul warned that the testing was only short-term.
"We can't conclude that it's completely safe to have an iPod right on top of the device for hours at a time. That's why we suggest the precaution of keeping it at least 6 inches away," he explained.
Research last year by researchers at Michigan State University initially claimed that the electromagnetic equipment in pacemakers can be affected by iPods.
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