title: Respiratory and Cardiovascular Response during Electronic Control Device Exposure in Law Enforcement Trainees.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Law enforcement represents a large population of workers who may be exposed to electronic control devices (ECDs). Little is known about the potential effect of exposure to these devices on respiration or cardiovascular response during current discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (N = 23) were trainees exposed to 5 s of an ECD (Taser X26(®)) as a component of training. Trainees were asked to volitionally inhale during exposure. Respiratory recordings involved a continuous waveform recorded throughout the session including during the exposure period. Heart rate was calculated from a continuous pulse oximetry recording.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The exposure period resulted in the cessation of normal breathing patterns in all participants and in particular a decrease in inspiratory activity. No significant changes in heart rate during ECD exposure were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to examine breathing patterns during ECD exposure with the resolution to detect changes over this discrete period of time. In contrast to reports suggesting respiration is unaffected by ECDs, present evidence suggests that voluntary inspiration is severely compromised. There is no evidence of cardiac disruption during ECD exposure.
authors.affiliation: Stress and Motivated Behavior Institute, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Newark, NJ, USA ; Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New Jersey Health Care System East Orange, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Kirsten M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Vanmeenen
authors.forename: Marc H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lavietes
authors.forename: Neil S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Cherniack
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bergen
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Teichman
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Servatius
keywords: TASER X26®; electronic control device; heart rate; respiration