The ID channel

I watch the ID channel frequently and this jewel came up.  "Death and the Dentist" on 48 Hours ID.  Guess which drug was used to kill this man?  Imagine that.  Not only is this drug Versed/Midazolam used in death row inmates' lethal cocktail, but used for straight up murder as well.  Ever wonder how many hospital deaths can be attributed to Versed?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0Dmvx4nDLA

Some Sage Advice From a Reader.

Gustavus has left a new comment on your post "Amazing Isn't It?":

I would walk out on pangolin, but only after making my recording of her "speil" and being sure to publish it on youtube. After all, I can choose to/not to do that with my own HIPPA info. Since I am in a single consent state that "dr" would never know it was recorded. I have taken to recording EVERY visit to any practitioner's office. 

If after I refused a med/procedure, I was pressured any further with any sort of their threat/scare tactics/falsified docs my first stop out the door would be my lawyers office (again). It is strangely satisfying to hear them backtrack once they find out about the existence of a recording. History has proven to me that their insurance company just asks how much to settle, and won't defend them at all. By the way, making recordings was a recommendation of a neurologist-friend who refuses any versed-like medications for himself and family. 

Easiest way to deal with these drug pushers/patient abusers is to cost them money, lots of money. It works, and it is the only way we, as patients can enforce our rights. There are lots of good doctors, and there is absolutely no reason to put up with the bad ones like the "anesthesiologist" above. 

Any Other Anesthesia People?

I got a comment from an anesthesia person on this post: No Midazolam: Heart Cath and Amnesia

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UnknownMarch 24, 2017 at 8:23 PM

The current recommendation in the anesthesia community is avoiding benzos in patients over the age of 65-70. I personally don't give them at all unless a patient is so nervous they are crying and shaking, and even then I will try something else first. Cardiologists, gastroenterologists, etc. don't have the luxury of administering propofol because of safety and liability issues, so they use benzos and narcotics for sedation.

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I am encouraged by this person's comment.  I hope that the age of the patient is lowered until the drug, Versed, isn't used. I do understand the problem with using Propofol in a setting without properly trained and extremely vigilant medical personnel who are properly equipped for emergencies. However, the medical field has ignored the problems with Versed because they are telling us and themselves that Versed is "just like Valium."  It isn't.  Valium is Valium and Versed is Versed.  The chemical construction is different, the amount of drug that is fatal is different, and the effects are different.  

I have found that Fentanyl as sole agent, isn't only a painkiller many times more effective than Morphine, it is also a sedative.  The real kind which ameliorates pain, and as a side effect calms the patient.  Not everybody likes Fentanyl, but for me, this is what I want.  I agree with the anesthetists assessment, with the exception of the age.  I think the cutoff age should be much lower.

Thanks to the commenter for leaving us this wisdom.