Compared to other sedatives, ketamine can have a safer effect profile in that it doesn’t mess with the person’s breathing and doesn’t massively slow down their heart rate. An excessive dose can result in a heart rate that is too high and that can collapse into cardiac arrest, but other fast-acting sedatives usually mean that you have to intubate the person because they aren’t going to be breathing adequately on their own until the drug wears off.
The biggest risk with ketamine is the tachycardia, but the other most common twilight sedative, propofol, runs a higher risk of the recipient slowing or stopping their breathing. In my medical experience, ketamine is commonly used for twilight sedation to set broken bones, and propofol is commonly used for short procedures like colonoscopies.
Interesting, I did not know that, thanks. Still a horrible event, but perhaps not as medically unsound as I initially assumed. I am not saying that sedation was the right call
It absolutely was not the right call. In the ER, we use stuff like Haldol for combative patients, it’s substantially less dangerous for the patient, but it takes a couple minutes to kick in.
Because the police have no medical training and still get to tell paramedics what drugs to use.
Ketamine can be used to knock people out, and you can see why the police like that. Of course knocking people out is also super dangerous, and shouldn’t be done unless it’s medically needed.
They were convicted in court. I followed up on some of the details, and I believe that they neglected important duties as healthcare providers. I can go into it a bit, but basically they are allowed to give Ketamine for combative patients that present a hazard to themselves or others, and it’s a weight based dosage. Elijah was alert and oriented, which should have been a contraindication AFAICT, and they gave him basically double what they should have.
Paramedics came and gave him more then a therapeutic dose to sedate him.
Why was he sedated with ketamine? Surely, there are better options?
I don’t think, “Dont harass innocent people.” is on the list.
Of course that would ideal, but IF someone should be sedated, why use ketamine?
Compared to other sedatives, ketamine can have a safer effect profile in that it doesn’t mess with the person’s breathing and doesn’t massively slow down their heart rate. An excessive dose can result in a heart rate that is too high and that can collapse into cardiac arrest, but other fast-acting sedatives usually mean that you have to intubate the person because they aren’t going to be breathing adequately on their own until the drug wears off.
I did not know that, in fact I thought it was the other way around
The biggest risk with ketamine is the tachycardia, but the other most common twilight sedative, propofol, runs a higher risk of the recipient slowing or stopping their breathing. In my medical experience, ketamine is commonly used for twilight sedation to set broken bones, and propofol is commonly used for short procedures like colonoscopies.
Interesting, I did not know that, thanks. Still a horrible event, but perhaps not as medically unsound as I initially assumed. I am not saying that sedation was the right call
It absolutely was not the right call. In the ER, we use stuff like Haldol for combative patients, it’s substantially less dangerous for the patient, but it takes a couple minutes to kick in.
Because the police have no medical training and still get to tell paramedics what drugs to use.
Ketamine can be used to knock people out, and you can see why the police like that. Of course knocking people out is also super dangerous, and shouldn’t be done unless it’s medically needed.
What fuck. Do police have say over which drugs are used? That sounds unreal, utterly surreal.
Are paramedics allowed to do that?
They were convicted in court. I followed up on some of the details, and I believe that they neglected important duties as healthcare providers. I can go into it a bit, but basically they are allowed to give Ketamine for combative patients that present a hazard to themselves or others, and it’s a weight based dosage. Elijah was alert and oriented, which should have been a contraindication AFAICT, and they gave him basically double what they should have.