Taser Voltage Enough to Kill

A shock to the chest from a stun gun can cause sudden cardiac arrest and death, a small study suggested.

In eight cases of stun-gun induced loss of consciousness, the first recorded rhythms were ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation in six and asystole (after about 30 minutes of nonresponsiveness) in one, according to the first clinical study of taser effects published in a peer reviewed journal.

An external defibrillator reported a shockable rhythm in one case, but no recording was made, Douglas P. Zipes, MD, from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, reported online in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Given the animal and clinical data, Zipes concluded that shocks from stun guns can cause ventricular fibrillation, which can lead to death.

Stun guns, also known as tasers, are classified as nonlethal weapons. They are not considered firearms and, therefore, are not regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Zipes noted.

However, they are capable of delivering an initial shock of 50,000 volts, followed by shorter 1,200-volt shocks that the user can stop, repeat, or sustain longer.

SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST FACTS What is sudden cardiac arrest?

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of death in the U.S., killing more than 325,000 people each year. That’s more
than the total death rate for breast cancer, lung cancer, and HIV/AIDS combined. During SCA, heart function ceases abruptly
and without warning. When this occurs, the heart is no longer able to pump blood to the rest of the body, and in over 90% of
victims, death occurs. This is usually caused when the electrical impulses in the affected heart become rapid (ventricular
tachycardia, or "VT") or chaotic (ventricular fibrillation, or "VF"), or both. These irregular heart rhythms are arrhythmias. The
general public and media often mistakenly refer to SCA as a “massive heart attack.”

SCA is an electrical problem, whereby the arrhythmia prevents the heart from pumping blood to the brain and vital organs. There
is an immediate cessation of the heart. In most cases, there are no warning signs or symptoms. A heart attack is a "plumbing"
problem caused by one or more blockages in the heart’s blood vessels, preventing proper flow, and the heart muscle dies.
Symptoms include chest pain, radiating pain in left arm, between shoulder blades, and/or jaw, difficulty breathing, dizziness,
nausea and vomiting, and sweating. In some cases, a heart attack may lead to a sudden cardiac arrest event.