Obstructive sleep apnea and driving risk: The current Turkish legislation, controversies, and future perspectives

Authors : Yüksel PEKER

Pages : 10-15

Doi:10.5472/MMJsi.2902.03

View : 13 | Download : 7

Publication Date : 2016-11-27

Article Type : Review Paper

Abstract :Motor vehicle accidents insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(MVA); are one of the leading causes of  death and injury in Turkey. Fatality reduction currently targets  increasing seat belt use and reducing high-speeding and alcohol  usage. However, sleepiness is increasingly recognized as a  contributing factor. Sleepiness accounts for up to 20% of MVAs  on monotonous roads, especially highways. The most common  medical disorder causing sleepiness is obstructive sleep apnea  insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(OSA);. Available data suggest that efficient treatment of OSA  may reduce MVAs and MVA-related deaths and injuries. Several  attempts have intensively been debated during the last decade in  order to develop national and international strategies to screen  high-risk drivers for sleepiness and OSA. In accordance with  the directive of the European Union, the Turkish legislation has  recently been revised for regulation of driving license issues for  individuals with OSA. There are still many controversies and  difficulties in implementation of these rules in practice. A fullnight  polysomnography insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(PSG); is recommended, and treatment  should be initiated as soon as possible when the OSA diagnosis is  confirmed. However, given the limited resources, at-home portable  cardiorespiratory sleep monitoring is a reasonable alternative to  PSG for appropriately selected patients with high clinical suspicion  for OSA, rather than no-PSG, and no treatment. Additional attempts  for development of national guidelines for determining the driving  risk, development of new screening tools for objective evaluation  of sleepiness in drivers with suspected or confirmed OSA, and  educating patients about the risks of excessive sleepiness as well  as encouraging clinicians to become familiar with relevant laws  are urging.
Keywords : Sleep apnea, Driving risk, Legislation