As previously stated in the comments, the combination of morphine and ativan is a poor choice to induce death:
Morphine and Ativan, one of the drug combinations that a Foti witness says were administered to the patients, is an extremely unreliable way to induce death, pharmacologists and forensic pathologists say. It is used to relax agitated patients and to relieve severe pain.The experts contacted for this story differed in their views on the other drug combination mentioned in Foti’s report: morphine and Versed. But the consensus view is that Versed, while commonly used as a palliative and relaxer during surgery, is an equally poor choice if the goal is to induce death.
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This all sounds wonderful and very ‘text-book sciency’- but the truth of the matter is that if you give 1mg. or 2mg. of Versed iv to many patients-especially older and debilitated patients with dehydration, contracted blood volumes, cardiovascular and pulmonary loss of functional capacity, and so on-Versed knocks most of them out and DOES compromise ventilatory function-which often kills.
This is not intended to reflect on the activities of Anna Pou- merely to tell you readers-as a long time practicing-in the OR clinical anesthesiologist- watch yourself when you administer iv Versed-and stop believing the academics who rarely administer these medications in clinical settings.
There is a lot of ‘textbook’ pharmacology misconception.
Can you please tell me why Ativan and Morphine are administered at the same time to someone already sick?
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