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Posted on October 9, 2008 by Patricia Woloch | Posted under Sleep Snoring
Is Sleep Apnea Making Truckers too Sleepy to Drive?
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If this is the case, it seems that sleep apnea could be a major contributing factor to deadly truck accidents, and, if so, sleep apnea diagnosis and, if necessary, sleep apnea treatment, could be a major component of a nationwide campaign to reduce major trucking accidents by 41 % by 2010. To consider the possible impact of sleep apnea on accidents and, therefore, sleep apnea treatment on accident reduction, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) conducted a number of studies on sleep apnea in the trucker population. Sleep Apnea Incidence The FMCSA's first study attempted to determine the incidence of sleep apnea in the trucker population. Although the majority of drivers reported daytime sleepiness on subjective sleep apnea tests, objective analysis confirmed a much lower than expected sleep apnea rate among commercial truckers. Although previous studies had reported a sleep apnea rate of 78 % or more among holders of commercial driver's licenses (CDLs), the FMCSA's study showed a sleep apnea rate more comparable to the general population. Specifically, it reported that 17.6 % of truckers had mild sleep apnea, 5.8 % had moderate sleep apnea, and 4.7 % had severe sleep apnea, for a total of approximately 28 % of truckers with sleep apnea. Sleep Apnea and Crash Risk After the first study, the FMCSA conducted a second study to explore the relationship between sleep apnea and trucking accidents. This study, conducted by the same center for sleep studies as the first study, but using a different pool of truckers. It detected slightly higher rates of mild, moderate, and severe sleep apnea: 21.2, 7.9, and 6.9 %, respectively, or a total incidence rate of approximately 36 %. In looking at causes, the study found that drivers were more likely to suffer sleep apnea if they had a high body mass index (BMI)--were overweight--or had short duration sleep periods during the night. Having established the incidence of sleep apnea, the FMCSA then studied the number of crashes suffered by these drivers over the period from 1996-2003. Looking at the data, researchers found that although drivers with sleep apnea were more likely to have crashes than those without (14 % vs. 11 %), the difference was not statistically significant. Sleep Apnea not a Factor? Based on the FMCSA's data, it appears that sleep apnea is not a factor in truck accidents in the US. This seems implausible, based on how dramatic an affect sleep apnea has on other drivers, but it may be because truckers are accustomed to driving while fatigued. Since the majority of drivers report fatigue and daytime sleepiness and these were not correlated with sleep apnea for the trucker population as opposed to the general population, in which fatigue and daytime sleepiness do have a high rate of correlation to sleep apnea. In other words, truckers are already so fatigued and tired because of their odd hours, sleep deprivation, and demanding schedules that apnea does not make them significantly more fatigued. However, if we reduce the predominance of fatigue among the trucker population, we may see a reduction in accidents among the general population that would make the effects of sleep apnea more visible. About The Author: If you suffer from daytime sleepiness and have had near-accidents as a result, you may be suffering from sleep apnea. Consult the website of the Snoring and Sleep Apnea Treatment Center in Gurnee, Illinois for more information. |
Tags: SNORING PROBLEM, LASER SNORING TREATMENT, SNORING DURING PREGNANCY, SNORING RELIEF, HOME REMEDY FOR SNORING, PREVENT SNORING, ANTI SNORING DEVICE
