MPs call for renewed sleep apnoea awareness campaign
21/07/2010
A cross-party group of MPs has joined calls for more to be done to raise awareness of obstructive sleep apnoea, which can affect driving ability.
The campaign is expected to be particularly useful for drivers of commercial vehicles, who may be regularly getting behind the wheel following a poor night''s sleep, according to RoadTransport.com.
Obstructive apnoea occurs when the airways are cut off during sleep, causing sufferers to stop breathing. It often affects the quality of sleep, with some patients reporting that they have dozed off behind the wheel on subsequent days.
Speaking to the website, MP Norman Lamb explained: "Research suggests that obstructive sleep apnoea can lead to the same poor reaction time and judgement as someone who is over the drink-drive limit; they are between six- and 15-times more likely to be involved in a road crash."
Earlier this week, it emerged that a father of five who suffered from severe sleep apnoea had been unable to get more than 45 minutes of shut-eye each night, until he lost weight.
Posted by Michael Ewing
