Jauchem James R
US Air Force Research Laboratory, Human Effectiveness Directorate, Directed Energy Bioeffects Division, 8262 Hawks Road, Brooks City-Base, TX 78235, USA.
J Forensic Leg Med. 2010 Jan;17(1):1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jflm.2008.05.011. Epub 2008 Aug 9.
Deaths have occurred after law-enforcement incidents involving applications of electronic control devices (ECDs) (including TASER devices). An "excited delirium" syndrome (reported in the literature prior to the development of ECDs currently in use), however, includes several factors that may be related to such deaths in custody. In this review, potential detrimental effects of ECDs are compared with possible changes due to excited delirium. Although extreme (i.e., long-duration or repeated) exposures to ECDs can result in significant hyperkalaemia, acidaemia, and myoglobinemia in animal models, limited applications (such as those normally used in law-enforcement situations) would appear to have only transient effects. In addition, the hyperthermia observed in patients with excited delirium does not seem to be directly exacerbated by ECD applications. ECD use is unlikely to be a common cause of ventricular fibrillation, but other events that are generally associated with excited delirium (e.g., drug use) may be related to subsequent ventricular fibrillation or asystole. Metabolic or respiratory acidosis may only be serious consequences of long-duration or repeated ECD applications. On the basis of current available information, factors other than ECDs themselves may be more important when death occurs after the use of ECDs.
在涉及使用电子控制设备（ECD，包括泰瑟枪设备）的执法事件后出现了死亡情况。然而，一种“激动性谵妄”综合征（在当前使用的ECD开发之前的文献中就有报道）包含了一些可能与羁押期间此类死亡相关的因素。在本综述中，将ECD的潜在有害影响与激动性谵妄可能导致的变化进行了比较。尽管在动物模型中，长时间（即持续时间长或反复）暴露于ECD可导致显著的高钾血症、酸血症和肌红蛋白血症，但有限的应用（如通常在执法情况下使用的那些）似乎只会产生短暂影响。此外，激动性谵妄患者中观察到的体温过高似乎不会因使用ECD而直接加重。使用ECD不太可能是心室颤动的常见原因，但通常与激动性谵妄相关的其他事件（如吸毒）可能与随后的心室颤动或心搏停止有关。代谢性或呼吸性酸中毒可能只是长时间或反复使用ECD的严重后果。根据目前可得的信息，在使用ECD后发生死亡时，除ECD本身之外的其他因素可能更为重要。
