Factbox: Michael Jackson's death 

Published: 9:24AM Tuesday February 09, 2010

Source: Reuters

Michael Jackson's personal doctor was charged on Tuesday with involuntary manslaughter in the singer's death in June.

Doctor Conrad Murray was caring for Jackson at the rented Los Angeles home where he died on June 25 at age 50.

The Los Angeles coroner said in August that Jackson's death was caused mainly by two sedatives - propofol and lorazepam. Other prescription medications were also found in his system.

Here are some facts about the drugs found in Jackson's body according to the coroner's report:

Propofol, also known by the trade name Diprivan, is used to sedate patients on breathing machines or before procedures such as colonoscopies. Given properly, it does not render them unconscious but they usually cannot remember the procedure.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists says propofol should "never be used outside of a controlled and monitored medical setting."

Lorazepam, sold under the brand names Ativan and Temesta, is one of a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines, which include Valium. They are often used to allay anxiety when given as pills and can be administered intravenously before surgery to relax patients.

Diazepam, the generic version of Valium, was also found in Jackson's blood.

Midazolam is a sedative similar to propofol, used to make patients drowsy but not unconscious during procedures.

Lidocaine, also known as Xylocaine, is a painkiller that can be injected to numb an area before surgery.

Ephedrine is a stimulant and decongestant, similar to the ingredients in the over-the-counter pill Sudafed and also to the illegal "upper" methamphetamine. Many states now control over-the-counter distribution of drugs such as Sudafed that contain pseudoephedrine because it can be used to make illegal drugs.


Tools: Print     Text Size


Advertisement
 

20/20

Provocative, unflinching, Thursday 9:30pm

Back Benches

Back Benches - giving politics back to the people

Breakfast

The way New Zealand wakes up weekdays, 6:30am

Close Up

No one gets you closer, weeknights 7pm

Fair Go

Looking out for the little guy, Wednesday 7:30pm

Simon Dallow and Bernadine Oliver-Kerby (Source: ONE News)

ONE News team

Meet the people that bring you the news

NZI Business

TV ONE weekdays, 6am

(Source: TVNZ)

Q+A

The home of NZ politics - Sunday, 9am TV ONE

Sunday

Where there's a story, we'll find it, Sunday 7:30pm

Te Karere's new set (Source: ONE News)

Te Karere

Te Karere, Maori News - 4pm weekdays, TV ONE

Greg Boyed (Source: ONE News)

TVNZ 7 News

News on digital channel TVNZ 7

Tools: Print     Text Size

Provocative, unflinching, Thursday 9:30pm
Back Benches - giving politics back to the people
The way New Zealand wakes up weekdays, 6:30am
No one gets you closer, weeknights 7pm
Looking out for the little guy, Wednesday 7:30pm
Meet the people that bring you the news
TV ONE weekdays, 6am
The home of NZ politics - Sunday, 9am TV ONE
Where there's a story, we'll find it, Sunday 7:30pm
Te Karere, Maori News - 4pm weekdays, TV ONE
News on digital channel TVNZ 7

Advertising