The United States – The department of transportation announced that they are assessing a new law last Tuesday. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has been warning the DOT about the risks of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) for a long time.
AASM claims that around 25 million Americans suffer from the sleep disorder and more than 20% are truck drivers. The society says that current federal laws are insufficient to properly diagnose and manage the situation.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation that regulates the trucking industry in the United States. The federal agency combined efforts with the Federal Railroad Administration in a massive investigation.
They are asking public and private transport companies, and the federal agency combined efforts with the Federal Railroad Administration in a massive investigation. They are asking public and private transport companies, and citizens to provide feedback on the matter.
Should there be a mandatory test for sleep apnea for professional drivers?
A sleepy driver is the potential cause of an accident and if you add a truck to the equation, the accident transform into a catastrophe. The authorities will consider traffic data, public opinion and professional’s input in the rule-making process. There will be three public sessions to propose acceptable guidelines for the new requirement.
A person who suffers from OSA will stop and start breathing many times while sleeping. The cause is an obstruction of the upper ways. A recent study, published on Niagara Frontier Publications website, reveals that people with big tongues and big tonsils have more risks of suffering from OSA.
The study also shows that obese people are ten times more likely to develop the disorder. The research team assures that dentists are in the best position to identify the signs. For example, marks of teeth on the edge of the tongue may indicate that the tongue is too big for the mouth which is a common sight on OSA patients. Dentists can’t diagnose it, but if they are properly trained, they can see the signs and redirect patients to a sleep medicine specialist.
The National Sleep Foundation says that sleep apnea affects more than 18 million Americans. Most cases go undiagnosed and a simple visit to the dentist could see these numbers bettered.
The risks are not only present on the road. Severe cases of the disorder are linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, memory loss.