Philips Heartstart MRx ECG Cables: EFT Interference Risk
Philips recalls Heartstart MRx ECG out cables (M1783A/M5526A) due to potential EFT interference causing misinterpreted heart signals. Affected units sold from 2002-2014.
Use caution until it’s fixed
Issue with ECG out cables. When a Philips monitor/defibrillator is receiving an ECG signal from an auxiliary bedside monitor via a sync cable or ECG out cable, the following can occur if the monitor/defibrillator experiences interference from electrical fast transients (EFTs): " On the HeartStart MRx and HeartStart XL, EFT noise may be misinterpreted as an R-wave. " On the HeartStart XL+, EFT noise can disable ECG monitoring and potentially interrupt demand mode pacing*. *Note: It is contrary to the XL+ Instructions for Use to perform demand mode pacing while using the ECG out cable or obtaining the ECG signal from a bedside monitor. The XL+ Instructions for Use includes the following warning: When pacing in Demand Mode, the ECG cable from the patient must be directly connected to the HeartStart XL+. If the user follows this warning, this problem cannot occur on the XL+.
Contact the company
What happened, in plain English
Philips is recalling ECG out cables for Heartstart MRx monitors that can misread heart signals when electrical interference occurs. This could lead to incorrect pacing or monitoring if the device is used with bedside monitors. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/73405-philips-heartstart-mrx-ecg-cables-eft-interference-risk.
Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/73405-philips-heartstart-mrx-ecg-cables-eft-interference-risk · Updated September 20, 2026 · FDA enforcement record: FDA #Z-0348-2018
Cite this page
“Philips Heartstart MRx ECG Cables: EFT Interference Risk.” GovInfoNow, updated September 20, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/73405-philips-heartstart-mrx-ecg-cables-eft-interference-risk. Based on FDA recall #Z-0348-2018 (https://api.fda.gov/device/enforcement.json?search=recall_number:%22Z-0348-2018%22&limit=1).
Why it’s dangerous
Electrical fast transients (EFTs) can cause the monitor to misinterpret noise as heart signals. This may lead to incorrect pacing or interruption of monitoring, especially on HeartStart XL+ models where EFTs can disable ECG monitoring entirely.
Who’s affected
Healthcare professionals using Philips Heartstart MRx monitors with bedside monitors. Patients on demand pacing therapy are at higher risk if the cables are not properly connected.
How to tell if you have this one
Check for Philips ECG out cables labeled M1783A or M5526A (12-pin sync cables) or model 989803195641. These were sold between September 2002 and October 2014.
- Brand
Philips- Category
Medical device
What to do — step by step
Check Cable Model
Identify if your cable has model numbers M1783A, M5526A, or 989803195641.
Verify Connection
Ensure the ECG cable is directly connected to the monitor when using demand pacing therapy.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
FDA terminated this recall 12 months after the firm started it.
- Firm started the recall
- FDA classified it Class II
- Published in FDA’s Enforcement Report
- FDA terminated the recall
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
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Where this comes from
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official FDA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
- Official source: FDA Recall #Z-0348-2018 (July 17, 2017) — FDA publishes no per-recall page; this is the official machine-readable enforcement record. Search FDA recalls for Z-0348-2018 to see it in context.
- Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on September 20, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the FDA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
- GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official FDA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.