Propofol Abuse Growing Problem for Anesthesiologists

Michael Jackson (MJ) has brought Propofol abuse to the ears of the general population. Got IV access, but no heart monitor? Well, you looking at permanent sleep potential, aka MJ-ville.

Well, lets see, you hear about it all the time on the news; I am a nurse in NC and we get a magazine every quarter that lists all the nurses that have either surrendered their license or lost their license for issues with controlled substance abuse; substance abuse of controlled substances is on the rise and the highest ever; the list goes on.

This problem isn't going to go away on its own. We, as a society, have to deal with it and find a solution and help for those involved.

Whether propofol is a "controlled substance" or not does not matter. If a hospital or surgicenter wants to control it's use and distribution, it's simple: call the pharmacy and they can restrict it's use via computer monitoring.... Nobody should be allowed unmonitored access to this drug..........or do nothing and watch the carnage.....

What he needed was a pulse/ox. The first thing to go is respirations. I bet his heart failure was from hypoxia due to apnea.

What happens, as anesthesia deepens (consciousness is a continuum) the tongue falls back in the posterior pharynx and obstructs the airway....so by DEFINITION (loss of airway reflexes) it is now a general anesthetic. If a chin lift is needed, technically its a general.....apnea occurs as the patient gets even deeper.....but an obstructed airway will cause hypoxia and then bradycardia progressing to full arrest.......no doubt what happened to MJ........