Minneapolis hospital seeks review of EMS sedation cases

MINNEAPOLIS – Hennepin Healthcare officials will ask an independent panel to review cases of its medical responders sedating people with the powerful tranquilizer ketamine.

The action announced Friday is in response to a draft report obtained by the Star Tribune that says the drug caused heart or breathing failure in some instances and suspects had to be revived or intubated.

The hospital’s chief medical officer, Dr. William Heegaard, says the county became aware of the issue in April when some EMS workers reported they at times felt pressured to use the tranquilizer.

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo called the draft report inaccurate, but was not specific.

The Minneapolis Office of Police Conduct investigation found the number of documented ketamine injections during police calls increased from three in 2012 to 62 last year.