Cardiac and skeletal muscle effects of electrical weapons

Abstract

Conducted Electrical Weapons (CEWs) are being used as the preferred non-lethal force option for police and special forces worldwide. This new technology challenges an exposed opponent similarly to the way they would be challenged by physical exercise combined with emotional stress. While adrenergic and metabolic effects have been meta-analyzed and reviewed, there has been no systematic review of the effects of CEWs on skeletal and cardiac muscle. A systematic and careful search of the MedLine database was performed to find publications describing pathophysiological cardiac and skeletal muscle effects of CEWs. For skeletal muscle effects, we analyzed all publications providing changes in creatine kinase, myoglobin and potassium. For cardiac effects, we analyzed reported troponin changes and arrhythmias related to short dart-to-heart-distances. Conducted electrical weapons satisfy all relevant electrical safety standards and there are, to date, no proven electrocution incidents caused by CEWs. A potential cardiovascular risk has been recognized by some of the experimental animal data. The effects on the heart appear to be limited to instances when there is a short dart-to-heart-distance. The effect on the skeletal muscle system appears to be negligible. A responsible use of a CEW on a healthy adult, within the guidelines proposed by the manufacturer, does not imply a significant health risk for that healthy adult.

Elektroschockdistanzwaffen Taser® X2 und T7

“…Neben den direkt ersichtlichen muskulären Wirkungen einer Taser-Applikation können vor allem kardiale [31], adrenerge [32] und metabolische Effekte [33] beobachtet werden.…”

The study on booster output characteristic for conducted electrical weapon applying on biological target and surrogates

“…James, A. C. [7] compared the difference in interference of electromyographic signal (EMG) and control of muscle under the effected of square wave pulses and the narrow pulses generated from Taser x26 CEW. Sebastian, N. K. [8] studied the effect of electrocution on heart and skeletal muscle through the biological and human experiment.…”

A Shocking Tale

“…In animal studies, VF can be triggered when the barbs of the device are placed near the heart. The critical dart to heart distance in humans is unknown but has been estimated to be approximately 3 mm ( 9 ). In this case, the authors do not detail exactly where the barbs entered the skin on the patient’s chest, but presumably the energy delivered was sufficient to allow the safe restraint of the individual concerned.…”