The TASER ECD Does Not Interfere with Breathing
One animal study suggested that an X26 discharge might interfere with breathing.[i] This result had several caveats: (1) pigs were used on their backs which is a highly unnatural position for them, (2) the anesthetic tiletamine-zolazepam (TZ) has the side effect of depressing breathing,[ii] and (3) the report was just an anecdotal observation as the study was not designed to look for breathing effects and the pigs were not instrumented for breathing.
A human study was recently performed by staff from several Emergency Departments. Volunteers were instrumented with a breathing monitoring device which showed that the TASER X26 did not interfere with breathing.[iii]
Excited Delirium
Excited delirium with associated metabolic acidosis[iv],[v],[vi],[vii].[viii] is a usually fatal condition with the following typical features:
1. Agitation
2. Incoherence
3. Hyperthermia
4. Paranoia or avoidance behavior
5. Extreme strength
6. Extreme stamina
7. Constant motion
8. Imperviousness to pain
9. Inappropriate behavior
10. History of chronic stimulant abuse or mental illness
11. Breaking of shiny objects such as glass and mirrors
12. Fatal cardiac rhythm of PEA (pulseless electrical activity) or asystole
Most simply explained, the person is mentally out of control and exceeds the normal physical limits of the human body until it “burns out.” In greater detail, the person’s metabolism goes way up, the respiratory system is unable to adequately compensate, the blood becomes acidic, the heart shuts down, and the subject is dead.
[i] 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((R)) exposures. Forensic Sci Int. 2005 Nov 11;
[ii] Lagutchik MS, Januszkiewicz AJ, Dodd KT, Martin DG. Cardiopulmonary effects of a tiletamine-zolazepam combination in sheep. Am J Vet Res. 1991 Sep;52(9):1441-7.
[iii] Ho JD, Dawes DM, Bultman LL, Thacker JL, Skinner LD, Bahr JM, Johnson MA, Miner JR. Respiratory Effect of Prolonged Electrical Weapon Application on Human Volunteers. Acad Emerg Med 2007.
[iv] Pollanen MS, Chiasson DA, Cairns JT, Young JG. Unexpected death related to restraint for excited delirium: a retrospective study of deaths in police custody and in the community. CMAJ. 1998 Jun 16;158(12)1603–7.
[v] Ross DL. Factors associated with excited delirium deaths in police custody. Mod Pathol. 1998 Nov; 11(11):1127–37. Review
[vi] Hick JL, SW Smith and MT Lynch. Metabolic acidosis in restraint-associated cardiac arrest: a case series. Acad Emerg Med. 1999;6:239–243.
[vii] Karch SB, Stephens BG. Drug abusers who die during arrest or in custody. J R Soc Med. 1999 Mar;92(3):110–3. Review.
[viii] Stratton SJ, Rogers C, Brickett K, Gruzinski G. Factors associated with sudden death of individuals requiring restraint for excited delirium. Am J Emerg Med. 2001 May;19(3):187–91.