Discovery of anesthetic at Michael Jackson's home raises stakes in death probe

The discovery of a powerful sedative at the home where Michael Jackson died last week raises the stakes in the investigation of the entertainer's death.

The Times reported Thursday that a law enforcement source said that propofol was among the drugs recovered from the Holmby Hills mansion.

Propofol, marketed under the brand name Diprivan, is a potent anesthetic intended for use in surgical and clinical settings. Easily recognizable because of its milky-white consistency (it is the only anesthetic in that form), it is known informally in medical circles as “milk of anesthesia” or “milk of amnesia.”

Propofol is one of the most widely used IV drugs for general anesthesia, and several doctors interviewed by The Times said it is extremely effective; an injection of the drug can induce hypnosis within 40 seconds. (Unless propofol is administered by pump, a patient can be awake and aware again, with no lasting side effects, in as few as three minutes after an injection.)

Dr. Zeev Kain, chairman of UC Irvine’s anesthesiology department, said that in the last few years the drug has made its way out of the operating room -- where it has long been used to help sedate patients in preparation for operations -- to other parts of the hospital. He said it’s now used in colonoscopies, radiological procedures, the emergency room and the intensive care unit. He said the drug, which is not a controlled substance and is often easy to find in hospitals, is used because it is fast- and short-acting.

"You give it, and two minutes later, it’s over."

But the doctors interviewed also warned that the drug must be used by a physician trained not only in its dosage, but also the care of patients receiving the drug.

It remains unclear whether prescription drugs played any role in Jackson's death. The coroner's office is awaiting toxicology results. But investigators said they removed prescription drugs as well as other "medical evidence" from the singer's rented Holmby Hills home. And both the Drug Enforcement Administration and the California attorney general's office are aiding the Los Angeles Police Department in the investigation.

State law enforcement officials are using a computer database to mine for information on prescription drugs to be passed on to investigators with the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division. The database contains the name of every doctor that has prescribed controlled medicine, the person for whom the drug was prescribed, the quantity and the date.

--Andrew Blankstein, Kimi Yoshino and Cara Mia DiMassa

Comments

[Tracy]

If a doctor gave MJ this drug outside a hospital setting he should be prosecuted for manslaughter

[dodger tony]

I wonder if Propofol is similar to Versed. The common theory is that Jackson was using the medication to potentially get high, but this is a general anesthetic and without proper monitoring can lead to death.

[ej]

This nurse is more involved then eanyone knows,she got this deadly drug for one of jackson body guards,she is trying to put the squeeze on the doctor who was sleeping over at jacksons house,tmz does not even got this yet

[lilly giacobbe]

Michael Jackson is gone. May god open the gates of heaven so that he may rest in peace. I hope that his children get the love, attention and help they need to get through it. Let us pray for Michael's soul and for those who are left behind.
How it happened doesn't matter, focus on who is still with us the prince's and princess need the Jackson family now more than ever..

[John Gallegos]

Diprivin (propofol emulsion) can be purchased from the local pharmaceutical wholesaler by most retail pharmacies.

All that is needed to purchase this from the drug store is a prescription from a licensed physician.

This is not to say that the Diprivin might not have been obtained from a hospital.

[SARAH]

Michael Jackson has died let him rest in peace and stop feeding the media we know how they can pry and probe for their own benifit. People aren't stupid we can form our opinion

[mspaap]

Any doctor involved in administering this drug should be held accountable. Why in the world did it take 30 minutes or more to call an ambulance to transport this man to a hospital? It is imperative that a heart attack victim be treated asap. Something about what happened to Michael Jackson seems extremely suspicious to me.

[Cal Doc]

Except for IV, it is unlkely anyone would get enough propofol to kill them. So the key question is whether Jackson had an IV inserted at the time of death.

[Marc Bosem MD]

This is a dangerous drug not meant to be used at home

Reports of Death with Use of Propofol (Diprivan) for Nonprocedural (Long-term) Sedation and Literature Review
Wysowski, Diane K. Ph.D.; Pollock, Martin L. Pharm.D. 2006 Anesthesiology Journal article!!!

[Scrappy]

Listen to "morphine" from the "Blood on the Floor" CD, he sings about taking Demerol.....Very eerie!

[Scrappy]

"Morphine" from "Blood on the Dance Floor" makes so much sense now.....unfortunately it's too late.

Rest in peace my friend.

[Shawn]

I thank they should leave him alone! Like he said years ago! And let this man rest in peace yes his family deserve to know what happen to their dear love 1! But somethings need to be kept out of the press! As for all his fans we need to remember him for who and what his was! MJ awesome,gifted, wonderful singer, writer,dancer! The other things are pure mess because we don't know what happened only him and the FATHER knows.....

[Susan]

How can anyone say that how MJ died doesn't matter? Yes it does. Just because he's a wealthy celebrity doesn't mean we need to shy away from his self inflicted death. I'm surprised he lasted this long. We love him & appreciated his megatalent but let's learn a lesson from this tragedy too.
There are devoted friends speaking out about how they tried to intervene and help him. This gives the public an idea that he DID have people in his life who loved him and weren't just leeches and hangers on. May all the doctors who wrote prescriptions be punished and lose their careers!

[Tom]

Dear Lilly Giacobbe,
I don't believe he was saved.
- Tom aka. "friendofInks"