Mechanisms of injury and death proximal to restraint use.

Restraints have been subsumed under the rubric of "interventions" in the nursing literature. However, alarming reports of lethal consequences proximal to their use raise the issue to a life and death matter that requires immediate attention from professionals. Little is known about the mechanisms of death and other adverse consequences of restraint use. This article describes these mechanisms and also considers some hypothesized factors and adverse effects associated with their use.