Nashville Drivers With Sleep Apnea May Be Dangerous When They Drive
Alcohol & Medical Conditions
As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney it’s essential that I keep up with all sorts of information relating to medical conditions that can lead to automobile accidents. On December 9, 2009, I wrote about elderly drivers and how medications may have a negative effect on their ability to maintain control of their motor vehicle. A recent article From The Sleep Foundation reports on a study about how people who suffer from sleep apnea may be in danger when they drive.
Drinking and driving is always dangerous. Add a life-threatening sleep disorder and you have a recipe for disaster. According to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, patients with obstructive sleep apnea are more vulnerable than healthy people to the effects of alcohol while driving. The study, conducted by researchers at the Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health in Australia, followed 38 untreated patients with sleep apnea and 20 control participants. Without getting into the particulars the study found that patients with sleep apnea experienced a 40 percent increase in steering deviation compared with the control group. Patients with sleep apnea also crashed more frequently than control participants after normal sleep and even more after restricted sleep or alcohol consumption compared with the control group. If left untreated, symptoms of sleep apnea can include disturbed sleep and excessive sleepiness during the day.
If you suffer from sleep apnea or have the symptoms, disturbed sleep and sleepiness during the day you ought to check with your doctor. If diagnosed you should be very careful about drinking any alcohol when you are going to operate a motor vehicle.
Situations like this make clear the importance of having a skilled Nashville automobile accident lawyer on your team. If you or a loved one is injured in a Nashville car crash involving a drunk or impaired driver contact the attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free cpnsultation to learn about your rights and remedies
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