Final answer:
The risk of an ECD causing cardiac arrest is very low, especially when compared to direct electrical currents applied to the heart during surgery or owing to gross misuse. ECDs are designed to minimize harm, and they are less likely to cause cardiac arrest than other electrical risks when properly used.
Step-by-step explanation:
The risk of an Electronic Control Device (ECD) causing or contributing to a subject's cardiac arrest is generally considered to be very low. This assessment is based on the understanding that heart disease, often related to lifestyle and diet, is a leading cause of death, not the direct influence of ECDs. ECDs, commonly referred to as Tasers, function by transmitting electrical impulses designed to incapacitate a person temporarily.
During medical procedures like surgery, where direct electrical currents might be applied to the heart, the risk increases, and special precautions are needed. According to data presented, a current as small as 20.0 μA can cause ventricular fibrillation if a low enough resistance, such as 300 Ω, is present. This implies that the smallest dangerous voltage would be 6 V (using the formula V=IR).
In the context of an ECD, such as a Taser, the situation is different because the current does not directly contact the heart. The design of ECDs includes features to prevent high currents from entering the body and to spread the current out to minimize harm. While the current from an ECD might exceed the safety thresholds, such as that which prevents someone from letting go of an electrical source, it still remains far less likely to cause cardiac arrest compared to direct applications to the heart or gross misuse of electrical systems.
Therefore, the risk is relatively very low when ECDs are used appropriately, certainly far less likely than the risk posed by a direct low resistance path to the heart. However, all electrical devices must be used following correct safety protocols to minimize risk.