Syndrome of
obstructiva apnea of
the dream and
traffic accidents
NOTE: Translated
using software of
translation of
Spanish to English
Abstract
In recent years many studies have shown that Obstructive Sleep
Apnea Syndrome is one of the biggest risk factors for drivers.
The most severe patients report that they become sleepiness not
only while driving on the highway or over long distances -
during which the driver may stop the vehicle to sleep for a
short time - but also during short distances around town. The
interest raised by this problem has caused several studies to
centre their objective on identifying the factors that are
responsible for this increase in traffic accidents.
Polysomnographic testing has verified that the sleep of these
patients is fragmented which causes an excessive daily
sleepiness and a sensation of tiredness and fatigue, which, up
to a point can cause traffic accidents. Current work is revising
some the studies which have been undertaken in order to evaluate
the prevalence of traffic accidents in patients with Obstructive
Sleep Apnea Syndrome according to the statistics. At present the
nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure is the treatment of
choice of this syndrome. For that reason and in relation to the
problem that we are studying, the traffic accidents in patients
with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome, we have recently revised
some of the studies that have been undertaken to evaluate up to
what point the therapy of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
diminishes the frequency of traffic accidents in patients with
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.
Author:
Ecuadorian
magazine of neurology