Treating sleep apnoea could cut road deaths

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a common sleep disorder marked by repeated interruption in a person's breathing during sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night. These breathing disruptions make for poor-quality sleep and symptoms like drowsiness, low concentration and poor reaction times are potential hazards on the road. Researchers from the University of California, San Diego estimated that more than 800,000 drivers were involved in vehicle crashes related to obstructive sleep apnoea in 2000, at a cost of nearly 1,400 lives. Because the breathing difficulties occur during sleep, a person can easily be unaware of them. Some potential indications of sleep apnoea include daytime drowsiness and snoring although neither of these are necessarily related to the condition. Nearly 1,000 deaths from vehicle collisions can be avoided each year if all drivers with the obstructive sleep apnoea receive the standard treatment. In obstructive sleep apnoea, tissues in the throat temporarily collapse during sleep, hindering the flow of air. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices deliver air, via a facemask, into the airways to keep them open. It's a common treatment for sleep apnoea, but many people with the disorder go undiagnosed and, therefore, untreated. One reason is that sleep apnoea is a silent disorder of which many people are simply not aware. Most primary care doctors do not screen people with risk factors - such as being older than 40 and being overweight. The new study suggests that traffic deaths related to obstructive sleep apnoea can be prevented if all the drivers are treated with CPAP. In addition, people who have diabetes or high blood pressure are at a greater risk of having sleep apnoea. Research suggests that sleep apnoea helps promote these conditions. Treatment options for sleep apnoea include dental devices, surgery and, where appropriate, weight loss.

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