Alert on M.D. Abuse Of Jackson Drug

Abuse of the sedative suspected in Michael Jackson's death is a growing problem among medical professionals, increasing pressure on the government to restrict it as a controlled substance. Three days before the pop icon's death on June 25, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists warned hospitals to restrict access to the potent drug propofol because some doctors and nurses are addicted to it.

Propofol Abuse among Anesthesiologists

One addict fell asleep at his desk so often that his lolling forehead became a perpetual bruise. Another was so desperate for a fix that he started trolling through sharps bins for discarded needles with traces of drug to inject. The addicts were two doctors, an anesthesiologist and a family physician. Their drug of choice: propofol.

Propofol Abuse in Professionals

Although healthcare providers have access to a wide array of potent narcotics, injectable propofol has become a drug of choice, and the most common reason for this is ease of access.

Propofol Infusion Syndrome (PRIS)

Propofol infusion syndrome (PRIS) is a rare, but potentially fatal, adverse effect of propofol administration. First described in children in 1992, and subsequently named by Bray in 1998, PRIS was classically defined as acute bradycardia progressing to asystole status post propofol administration...

Propofol may have killed Joan Rivers

Propofol killed Michael Jackson and may have played a role in death of comedian Joan Rivers.

Propofol, The New Illicit Prescription Drug

It took a high profile case such as the death of Michael Jackson to bring worldwide attention to the misuse and dangers of Propofol. Access and availability should be restricted, a move than will save lives.

Propofol: A dangerous kind of rest

Propofol is given intravenously to induce anesthesia in surgical patients and to provide sedation for patients in the Intensive Care Unit. It's the most common induction agent of anesthesia in current use. It pretty much has replaced pentothal because it has fewer side effects and it makes people feel better when they wake up.

Propofol: the drug that killed Michael Jackson

The major reason that propofol has become the induction agent of choice is that the traditional agent, a barbiturate called sodium thiopental, is no longer available,...

Should Diprivan (propofol) be a controlled substance?

It turns out that propofol, used routinely for surgeries and procedures such as colonoscopies, has been a point of concern among some anesthesiologists because of the potential for abuse by health care workers.

Sleepless Supernova: Propofol Lullabies In Neverland

My profession failed a national treasure, no matter how disordered, and failed him in pursuit of personal greed. We failed in his diagnosis, in his treatment, in disengaging from the dance with a manipulative addict and ultimately failed in the recognition of a critically important sleep disorder. Let us not fail in his wake to examine the lessons to found in the debris of destruction and share them with Americans everywhere.

The misuse and abuse of propofol.

The misuse and abuse of propofol among healthcare providers has been reported worldwide, with some misuse resulting in death. Propofol policies guiding healthcare worker re-entry into the workplace after misusing propofol have received rare attention in the research literature.

What Is Propofol--and How Could It Have Killed Michael Jackson?

The King of Pop's doctor, Conrad Murray, is on trial for involuntary manslaughter, but could propofol alone have caused MJ's death? Harvard anesthesiologist Beverly Philip explains what gives this drug such lethal potential.