title: Physiologic effects of the TASER after exercise.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Incidents of sudden death following TASER exposure are poorly studied, and substantive links between TASER exposure and sudden death are minimal. The authors studied the effects of a single TASER exposure on markers of physiologic stress in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective, controlled study evaluated the effects of a TASER exposure on healthy police volunteers after vigorous exercise, compared to a subsequent, identical exercise session that was not followed by TASER exposure. Subjects exercised to 85% of predicted heart rate (HR) on an ergometer and then were given a standard 5-second TASER activation. Measures before and for 60 minutes after the TASER activation included minute ventilation, tidal volume, respiratory rate, end-tidal pCO(2), oxygen saturation, HR, blood pressure (systolic BP/diastolic BP), 12-lead electrocardiogram, and arterialized blood for pH, pO(2), pCO(2), and lactate. Each subject repeated the exercise and data collection session on a subsequent data, without TASER activation. Data were analyzed using paired Student's t-tests with differences and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Statistical significance was adjusted for multiple comparisons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 25 officers (21 men and 4 women) completed both portions of the study. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, the TASER group was significantly higher for systolic BP at baseline (difference of 14.1, 95% CI = 8.7 to 19.5, p < 0.001) and HR at 5, 30, and 60 minutes with the largest difference at 30 minutes (difference of 7.0, 95% CI = 2.5 to 11.5, p = 0.004). There were no other significant differences between the two groups in any other measure at any time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 5-second exposure of a TASER following vigorous exercise to healthy law enforcement personnel does not result in clinically significant changes in ventilatory or blood parameters of physiologic stress.
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Diego Medical Center, San Diego, CA. gmvilke@ucsd.edu
authors: Gary M
authors: GM
authors: Vilke
authors: Christian M
authors: CM
authors: Sloane
authors: Amanda
authors: A
authors: Suffecool
authors: Fred W
authors: FW
authors: Kolkhorst
authors: Tom S
authors: TS
authors: Neuman
authors: Edward M
authors: EM
authors: Castillo
authors: Theodore C
authors: TC
authors: Chan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004597:Electroshock / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016495:Police; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D054041:Weapons