The death of Michael Jackson is a horrific tragedy on so many levels. He had one of the most remarkable careers in the recording industry and paved the way for so many current artists. I was a huge fan of Michael’s music and am so saddened by how he died as it was so senseless. We all have heard this week that his physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, has been charged with the King of Pop’s death. Will it go to trial? Who knows… But I wanted to tackle the issue of the safety surrounding this commonly used drug that Michael died from.
The indisputable fact that Dr. Murray, a cardiologist, actually administered this drug in a household setting is simply unbelievable. Propofol is a commonly used drug, and a safe one. I’ve had Propofol administered when I received a steroid injection for some neck pain–let me tell you, it’s safe, and I assure you, I was in total la-la land, blissfully feeling no pain! I, however was in the safety of a clinical setting.
I spoke with Nathan Walters, M.D., Director of Pain Management for the Center for Spine Care. Dr. Walters is double Board Certified in Pain Management and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and specializes in conservative therapy for people with back pain. Often in his practice, he administers spinal injections requiring a fast-acting, safe anesthetic. He routinely uses Propofol.
According to Dr. Walters, “When used as intended–for surgical or diagnostic procedures conducted in an appropriate healthcare setting by a qualified anesthesia professional such as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) or physician anesthesiologist, Propofol is fast-acting, short-lived, and very safe. In fact, it is considered one of the safest anesthetics available. I routinely use Propofol to quickly sedate patients for several thousand pain procedures every year. It is metabolized very quickly, with the effect being that the patient is wide awake within minutes after a quick spinal injection. ”
Dr. Walters says that the drug is also routinely used with other quick outpatient procedures such as colonoscopy. He adds that when used for other purposes, in other settings, by anyone other than a CRNA or anesthesiologist, the risks can be significant.
“First, Propofol can be very addictive,” he says. “Abuse of the drug is becoming more common among anesthesia professionals and other healthcare providers who have easy access to it. Patients, however, should not worry about becoming addicted after receiving Propofol for a surgical or diagnostic procedure. The risk of this happening is minuscule. ”
“Second, the package insert for Propofol,which is approved by the FDA, requires that the drug be administered by healthcare professionals trained in the administration of general anesthesia–in other words CRNA’s or anesthesiologists. ”
Dr. Walters says that the AANA and the American Society of Anesthesiologists feel so strongly about this that the two organizations published a joint statement http://www.aana.com/jointstmt-propofol.aspx in 2004 stating that whenever Propofol is used for sedation/anesthesia, it should be administered only by persons trained in the administration of general anesthesia and who are not simultaneously involved in the surgical or diagnostic procedure.
The bottom line, according to Dr. Walters is that “Propofol is not a sleep aid and is not for recreational use. However, it is safely and routinely administered by anesthesia professionals for thousands of outpatient procedures every day.
I hope this helps anyone who may be a little uneasy about undergoing an outpatient procedure that requires Propofol. Have you had Propofol before? Was it an easy, comfortable experience?
Excellent and very informative article. It is comforting to know that one can be administered this medication and can be assured that is is safe when given by a physician in hospital or clinical surroundings.
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