American Journal of Cardiology
Volume 103, Issue 6 , Pages 877-880 , 15 March 2009

Relation of Taser (Electrical Stun Gun) Deployment to Increase in In-Custody Sudden Deaths

  • Byron K. Lee, MD

      Affiliations

    • Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, California
    • ,
  • Eric Vittinghoff, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, California
    • ,
  • Dean Whiteman, BS

      Affiliations

    • Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, California
    • ,
  • Minna Park

      Affiliations

    • Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, California
    • ,
  • Linda L. Lau, BS

      Affiliations

    • Loyola University Chicago, School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
    • ,
  • Zian H. Tseng, MD

      Affiliations

    • Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, California
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author: Tel: 415-476-5706; fax: 415-476-6260

Received 3 October 2008 ,Revised 18 November 2008 ,Accepted 18 November 2008.

References 

  1. Law Enforcement Overview. Scottsdale, AZ: Taser International; 2008;http://www.taser.com/Pages/le_overview.aspx
  2. Amnesty International reiterates call to suspend police use of tasers following airport death [news release]. http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR20/004/2007/en Amnesty International; 2008;
  3. Amnesty International's continuing concerns about Taser use. http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR51/030/2006 Amnesty International; 2008;
  4. Q4 2007 Investor Presentation. http://www.taser.com/ Scottsdale, AZ: Taser International; 2007;
  5. Statistics, Felony Arrests. http://ag.ca.gov/cjsc/statisticsdatatabs/ArrestCoFel.php Office of the Attorney General; 2008;
  6. Population Finder. http://www.census.gov/ US Census; 2008;
  7. Lakkireddy D, Wallick D, Ryschon K, Chung MK, Butany J, Martin D, et al. Effects of cocaine intoxication on the threshold for stun gun induction of ventricular fibrillation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2006;48:805–811
  8. Lakkireddy D, Wallick D, Verma A, Ryschon K, Kowalewski W, Wazni O, et al. Cardiac effects of electrical stun guns: does position of barbs contact make a difference?. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2008;31:398–408
  9. Nanthakumar K, Billingsley IM, Masse S, Dorian P, Cameron D, Chauhan VS, et al. Cardiac electrophysiological consequences of neuromuscular incapacitating device discharges. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2006;48:798–804
  10. Wu JY, Sun H, O'Rourke AP, Huebner S, Rahko PS, Will JA, et al. Taser dart-to-heart distance that causes ventricular fibrillation in pigs. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng. 2007;54:503–508
  11. Walter RJ, Dennis AJ, Valentino DJ, Margeta B, Nagy KK, Bokhari F, et al. TASER X26 discharges in swine produce potentially fatal ventricular arrhythmias. Acad Emerg Med. 2008;15:66–73
  12. Pippin JJ. Taser research in pigs not helpful. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2007;49:731–733
  13. Cao M, Shinbane JS, Gillberg JM, Saxon LA. Taser-induced rapid ventricular myocardial capture demonstrated by pacemaker intracardiac electrograms. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2007;18:876–879
  14. Kim PJ, Franklin WH. Ventricular fibrillation after stun-gun discharge. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:958–959
  15. Levine SD, Sloane CM, Chan TC, Dunford JV, Vilke GM. Cardiac monitoring of human subjects exposed to the taser. J Emerg Med. 2007;33:113–117
  16. Vilke GM, Sloane C, Levine S, Neuman T, Castillo E, Chan TC. Twelve-lead electrocardiogram monitoring of subjects before and after voluntary exposure to the Taser X26. Am J Emerg Med. 2008;26:1–4
  17. Sloane CM, Chan TC, Levine SD, Dunford JV, Neuman T, Vilke GM. Serum troponin I measurement of subjects exposed to the Taser X-26(R). J Emerg Med. 2008;35:29–32
  18. Vilke GM, Sloane CM, Bouton KD, Kolkhorst FW, Levine SD, Neuman TS, et al. Physiological effects of a conducted electrical weapon on human subjects. Ann Emerg Med. 2007;50:569–575
  19. Strote J, Range Hutson H. Taser use in restraint-related deaths. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2006;10:447–450
  20. Jenkinson E, Neeson C, Bleetman A. The relative risk of police use-of-force options: evaluating the potential for deployment of electronic weaponry. J Clin Forensic Med. 2006;13:229–241
  21. Stratton SJ, Rogers C, Green K. Sudden death in individuals in hobble restraints during paramedic transport. Ann Emerg Med. 1995;25:710–712
  22. Jauchem JR, Sherry CJ, Fines DA, Cook MC. Acidosis, lactate, electrolytes, muscle enzymes, and other factors in the blood of Sus scrofa following repeated TASER exposures. Forensic Sci Int. 2006;161:20–30
  23. Ho JD, Miner JR, Lakireddy DR, Bultman LL, Heegaard WG. Cardiovascular and physiologic effects of conducted electrical weapon discharge in resting adults. Acad Emerg Med. 2006;13:589–595

 Dr. Tseng is supported by a grant from the National Center for Research Resources, a component of the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, Maryland), and National Institutes of Health Roadmap for Medical Research (KL2 RR024130).

PII: S0002-9149(08)02113-9

doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2008.11.046

American Journal of Cardiology
Volume 103, Issue 6 , Pages 877-880 , 15 March 2009

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