Cardiac effects (2004 Canadian study of tasers)

[BadgerKid]

Caveat: I don't know what model taser was used in the reported deaths.

I'd like to know whether the taser was developed on humans.

Interestingly, pig physiology naturally prevents cardiac electrocution (ref:
www.stopanimaltests.com/f-taserexpresults.asp )

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Electrical injuries fall in three categories:

• Direct-thermal injuries resulting from the current itself;
• Heart-cardiac arrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation, cardiac standstill; and
• Blunt Trauma-resulting from muscle contractions and falls secondary to the
application of electric current

Direct thermal injuries from the M26 with this amount of current should consist of nothing
more than local burns at the insertion site of the barbs. Cardiac events are trickier to
predict. Most studies done to determine cardiac vulnerability involve using alternating
currents at 60 hertz (United States) and 50 hertz (rest of the world). Using these
parameters it has been found that:

• 25mamps-75 mamps stop the heart;
• 75-4 amps cause ventricular fibrillation;
• more than 4 amps cause cardiac standstill

The M26 Advanced TASER runs at a calculated 45-50,000 hertz. There is little
experimental data at these high frequencies. Theoretically, physiologists have
calculated that ventricular fibrillation current would need to be l4 times greater at l000
hertz than 50 hertz. At 45,000 hertz, the current necessary to cause ventricular fibrillation
is calculated to be 70,000 mamps (70 amps) or more than three times the peak l8 amp
current generated by the M26. Note that these values are calculated - not measured!
Sometimes when things are actually measured, they are quite different (higher/lower)
than predicted. The point is, we are dealing with calculations, not empirical knowledge.

Calculations and testing are generally done with respect to normal hearts. Many
cardiologists and cardiac surgeons believe that patients with abnormal hearts such as
those who had a previous heart attack, those with certain arrhythmias, those with
“irritable foci” are much more prone to lethal arrhythmias than normal people.
Laboratory testing sponsored by TASER International leads to the conclusion that the
TASER is safe for use on those with pacemakers. Geddes “the father of the modern
pacemaker” states in the medical Journal Lancet (2001 358:687-688):

“Further research on what cardiac effect TASER …would have on people with
Pacemakers is needed.”

(emphasis added)

www.opcc.bc.ca/Reports/2004/Interim%20Taser%20Report%20and%20Recommendations.pdf

Google: taser physiology