Nancy Guthrie’s 2 a.m. pacemaker ping could point to heart rate-spiking struggle, lead cardiologist says

Nancy Guthrie’s 2 a.m. pacemaker spike on the day she vanished could mean that the elderly woman was involved in a heart rate-surging struggle with her possible captors, a lead cardiologist speculated Thursday.

“If a person was in a physical struggle, that might have created a rapid heartbeat … the pacemaker would have detected that and potentially reported it,” Dr. Jonathan Reiner, who was former vice president Dick Cheney’s cardiologist, chillingly told CNN.

Arizona authorities previously said the 84-year-old’s implanted medical device stopped syncing with her Apple devices, including a watch and her iPhone, around 2 a.m. Sunday, close to the time police believe she was abducted from her Tucson home.

Savannah Guthrie and her mother Nancy Guthrie smiling on the set of the TODAY show.
Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker spiked on the night she disappeared — and that could mean she “was in a physical struggle,” Dr. Jonathan Reiner says.Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty ImagesNancy was last seen the night before when she was dropped home by her son-in-law at about 9:45 p.m.

When investigators reached the home hours after she was reported missing, around noon, the devices were still inside the house.

The disturbing revelation comes as the desperate search for Guthrie continues into its fifth day on Thursday.

Reiner also offered a less ominous reason for the pacemaker spike.

A news report about increased police activity at Savannah Guthrie's mother's home.
“If a person was in a physical struggle, that might have created a rapid heartbeat … the pacemaker would have detected that and potentially reported it,” Dr. Jonathan Reiner, who was former vice president Dick Cheney’s cardiologist, chillingly told CNN.CNN

Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, smiling while sitting at a mahjong table with mahjong tiles and a mahjong card in front of her.
Nancy was last seen the night before when she was dropped home by her son-in-law at about 9:45 p.m.Courtesy NBC Universal
“A pacemaker not only has the ability to create a heartbeat, triggering a heart to beat, but it’s also a sophisticated monitor of the patient’s heart rhythm, and a pacemaker is programmed to check in once a day, just to check in with its communication device and then ultimately the app that monitors it once a day,” he explained.

“Typically that’s at night, so at 2 o’clock in the morning, that’s all it might have been doing.”

The timeline of the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s mom:


1of13

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Pacemakers cease to sync with the communication devices when they’re between five and 20 feet away from each other, Reiner said – making it “hard to know exactly what that means” as it pertains to Guthrie’s movements early Sunday morning.

Savannah Guthrie and her mother, Nancy Guthrie, smiling and embracing.
Savannah Guthrie and her mother, Nancy Guthrie, smiling and hugging each other.savannahguthrie/Instagram
“But it does tell us that she was in close proximity to her cell phone at 2 o’clock in the morning … until that time, they were together,” he said.

The top doc said it would “be easy to know” whether the spike indicated an innocent, routine check-in or an arrhythmia, which would suggest a struggle – and Guthrie’s physician would have the answer.

“All that needs to be done is to check with the implanting physician because that’s where the data goes,” Reiner said.

Regardless, “an 84-year-old is a very fragile person – even a fairly robust person in their 80s is at risk of a very severe injury if they fall,” he warned.

Blood spatters seen at the front door of Nancy Guthrie's Tucson home.
Arizona law enforcement previously said they found drops of blood and signs of a struggle at Guthrie’s home – as well as her life-saving, daily medication. BACKGRID

Aerial view of Nancy Guthrie's house in Tucson, Arizona, showing a brick building with a white roof, a swimming pool, and a manicured lawn.
Aerial view of Nancy Guthrie’s house in Tucson, Arizona.Rebecca Noble for the NY Post
“So, Mrs. Guthrie, if she lost her footing or was pushed to the ground or somehow fell, that could result in a severe injury,” he said, adding that the unidentified medications she takes may also work as a blood-thinner, which would make matters worse.

Arizona law enforcement previously said they found drops of blood and signs of a struggle at Guthrie’s home – as well as her life-saving, daily medication.

“The clock is literally ticking,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said in reference to the meds.