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Human Electrical Muscular Incapacitation and Effects on QTc Interval
Author(s) -
Gibbons John A.,
Mojica Andrew J.,
Peele Mark E.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.13490
Subject(s) - qt interval , medicine , cardiology , prolongation , ventricular tachycardia , tachycardia , electrocardiography , heart rate , anesthesia , blood pressure
Human Electrical Muscular Incapacitation ( HEMI ) is used to subdue combative individuals. Changes in cardiac electrical activity have been proposed as the cause of death in a small fraction of these individuals. The current study sought to determine whether changes in QT c interval occur after HEMI exposure. Twenty‐four participants had EKG readings before a 5‐second HEMI exposure and within 30 min after exposure. All subject EKG s were read by a data‐blinded cardiac electrophysiologist who calculated a QT corrected ( QT c) interval. QT c interval was calculated using Bazett method. QT c prolongation was defined as >430 ms and a threshold of 30 ms for identifying QT c lengthening. Five participants experienced QT c prolongation and six had QT c lengthening. One participant developed QT c prolongation exceeding 500 ms, which carries a risk of developing multifocal ventricular tachycardia. These results suggest that HEMI exposure may cause EKG changes with a risk of ventricular tachycardia.