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Anesthesia: Anesthetic - Sodium Thiopental, Which Has The Trademark Name Pentothal

The document summarizes the lethal injection process used in capital punishment. It involves administering an anesthetic like sodium thiopental to induce deep sleep, followed by a saline flush. A paralyzing agent like pancuronium bromide is then given to stop breathing. Another saline flush follows, and sometimes a toxic agent like potassium chloride is administered to induce cardiac arrest. The inmate is declared dead one to two minutes after the last drug, with the entire execution taking 30 minutes or less.

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Hans B. Tamidles
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19 views

Anesthesia: Anesthetic - Sodium Thiopental, Which Has The Trademark Name Pentothal

The document summarizes the lethal injection process used in capital punishment. It involves administering an anesthetic like sodium thiopental to induce deep sleep, followed by a saline flush. A paralyzing agent like pancuronium bromide is then given to stop breathing. Another saline flush follows, and sometimes a toxic agent like potassium chloride is administered to induce cardiac arrest. The inmate is declared dead one to two minutes after the last drug, with the entire execution taking 30 minutes or less.

Uploaded by

Hans B. Tamidles
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The drugs are administered, in this order:

Anesthetic - Sodium thiopental, which has the trademark name Pentothal,


puts the inmate into a deep sleep. This drug is a barbiturate that induces general
anesthesia when administered intravenously. It can reach effective clinical
concentrations in the brain within 30 seconds, according to an Amnesty
International report. For surgical operations, patients are given a dose of 100 to
150 milligrams over a period of 10 to 15 seconds. For executions, as many as 5
grams (5,000 mg) of Pentothal may be administered. This in itself is a lethal dose.
It's believed by some that after this anesthetic is delivered, the inmate doesn't feel
anything.

Saline solution flushes the intravenous line.

Paralyzing agent - Pancuronium bromide, also known as Pavulon, is a muscle


relaxant that is given in a dose that stops breathing by paralyzing the diaphragm
and lungs. Conventionally, this drug takes effect in one to three minutes after
being injected. In many states, this drug is given in doses of up to 100 milligrams,
a much higher dose than is used in surgical operations -- usually 40 to 100
micrograms per one kilogram of body weight. Other chemicals that can be used as
a paralyzing agent include tubocurarine chloride and succinylcholine
chloride.

Saline solution flushes the intravenous line.

Toxic agent (not used by all states) - Potassium chloride is given at a lethal
dose in order to interrupt the electrical signaling essential to heart functions. This
induces cardiac arrest.

Within a minute or two after the last drug is administered, a physician or medical
technician declares the inmate dead. The amount of time between when the prisoner
leaves the holding cell and when he or she is declared dead may be just 30 minutes.
Death usually occurs anywhere from five to 18 minutes after the execution order is
given. After the execution, the body is placed in a body bag and taken to medical
examiner, who may perform an autopsy. It is then either claimed by the inmate's family
or interred by the state.

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