Driving With OSA: The New DWI?

The National Transportation Safety Board is shining a spotlight on sleep apnea. On Tuesday, the Board sent letters to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (the organization that regulates bus and truck safety) and the U.S. Coast Guard recommending that all ship pilots, truck drivers, and bus drivers undergo mandatory testing for sleep apnea. The letters mentioned accidents that were influenced by sleep apnea:

• May 2008: A trolley operator believed to have suffered from OSA collided with another train in Newton, MA.
• January 2008: A bus driver with sleep apnea crashed on a mountain in Utah, killing 9 people and injuring 43 others.
• July 2000: A tractor-trailer driver with sleep apnea crashed into a Tennessee Highway Patrol vehicle on Interstate 40. The state trooper driving the vehicle was killed and another driver was seriously injured.
• June 1995: A cruise ship pilot grounded his ship in Alaska’s Inside Passage. The ship was carrying 2,200 people at the time.

This past summer, the NTSB sent a similar letter to the FAA. In fact, in a recent situation that supports the NTSB’s case, pilot fatigue is believed to have caused an Oct. 21 incident in which a Northwest pilot overshot his final destination of Minneapolis by 150 miles before responding to air traffic controllers.

By drawing attention to the danger of untreated OSA, the NTSB is helping us all lead safer lives. Whenever a driver, pilot, or ship captain with undiagnosed or untreated sleep apnea takes to the road, sky, or sea, we are all at risk. But the dangers of OSA extend to the entire population, not just transportation workers. Take this Sleep Apnea Risk Survey to determine whether you may be at risk for sleep apnea. It might save your life- or someone else’s!

Source: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_NTSB_SLEEP_APNEA?SITE=WABEL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Sleep Apnea, Diabetes, and Obesity: The Sleep AHEAD Study

Archives of Internal Medicine recently published the results of a study investigating the effects of weight loss on OSA in obese patients who also have type 2 diabetes. While the combination of those three health complications might seem daunting, the study’s results are encouraging. Researchers report that weight loss can dramatically improve OSA symptoms. In fact, results generally show that weight loss is directly correlated to OSA improvement: more weight loss = more OSA improvement.

Diabetes and Sleep Apnea

People with diabetes have three times the risk of the general population for developing OSA, and obesity simply increases that risk. If you have type 2 diabetes and/or suffer from obesity, take this Sleep Apnea Risk Survey to determine whether you may have OSA. The earlier your sleep apnea is detected, the sooner you can start treatment.


Treating Sleep Apnea

As The Sleep AHEAD Study shows, lifestyle changes, such as weight loss, are one way to treat sleep apnea. Other forms of treatment include sleeping with a Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) device, wearing an oral appliance, and corrective surgery. Your physician can help you select the best treatment options for your individual situation. Regardless of which treatment path you take, your quality of life should improve dramatically. Who wouldn’t want to live a better life?

Source:
http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/169/17/1619?lookupType=volpage&vol=169&fp=1619&view=short