I’m doing a paper on the effects of chemicals on the body for anatomy… just wondering what would happen if one mixed a muscle relaxant, an antidepressant, and a sleeping aid.
As in, the effects it would have on the body before death (e.g. spasms, coma, nausea, etc.)
Answer:
Either death or a good time. It’s all part of the fun.
Either death or a good time. It’s all part of the fun.
If I’m not mistaken, that’s how Heath Ledger died. I don’t think he took those exact drugs, but it was a similar combination.
I looked it up, and here’s what the toxicology report said: “Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine.”
Diazepam is the generic name for Valium and alprazolam is Xanax. The others are painkillers and sleep aids.
I’m not a doctor or pharmacist, but I would think that anyone who has taken such a combination of drugs would quickly go to sleep and would be very difficult to awaken. There probably wouldn’t be other symptoms unless it was a large overdose. I’m not sure exactly what drugs are used in executions by lethal injection, but I think a similar combination is used to sedate the condemned person before the final drug is administered to stop the heart.
[edit]
The standard combination for lethal injection is a fast-acting barbiturate (i.e. depressant/sleep aid), a muscle relaxant, and a third drug to stop the heart. I mention this because the purpose is to make it as quick and peaceful as possible, without convulsions, vomiting, or other painful effects. I would expect the combination you described to have a similar result, sedating the person with few other effects.