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NW Washington | Potassium chloride is one of the chemicals used for euthanasia, so yes, one needs to be careful about dose size.
"Three compounds are used in combination in the lethal injection in the US. These are not administered at one time, but in series as mixing them externally can cause precipitation.
These are:
Sodium thiopental: It causes anesthesia and is a barbiturate. It basically puts the person in coma.
Pancuronium bromide: It is a neuromuscular blocking drug and causes paralysis.
Potassium chloride: It basically messes up the ionic balance of the heart (causes hyperkalemia which leads to negative resting potential which prevents the cardiac cells to repolarize (prepare for the next heartbeat)).
Although, certain barbiturates (e.g. Pentobarbital, Secobarbital) are used for animal euthanasia, I couldn't find any references that corroborated the use of sodium thiopental specifically for this purpose." | |
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Kidney researcher talks about potassium needs and kidneys
