Sleep Apnea and Commercial Truckers
Posted on Thu, Mar 17, 2011 @ 10:49 AM
Sleep apnea is one of the most undiagnosed sleep disorders. It goes unnoticed because it cannot be detected by doctors at routine checkups and there is not a blood test for it. It is the patient’s responsibility to tell their doctor about their symptoms; then the doctor can diagnose the patient. Also, it is hard to self-diagnose it because it occurs during sleep. Usually a family member or bed partner notices the first signs.
In 2008, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) took note of this and changed their rules on drivers with sleep apnea, recommending that drivers should be disqualified immediately or denied certification if:
1) They are noncompliant with treatment of sleep apnea.
2) Have experienced excessive sleepiness while driving or have had a crash associated with falling asleep.
3) Have had surgery for sleep apnea, but they cannot drive while waiting; a repeat sleep test to determine if the surgery was successful. I would advise your brother of these changes and strongly encourage him to seek treatment.
Untreated sleep apnea can:
A section in the Medical Advisory Criteria for Evaluation Under 49CFRPart391.41 states that any driver with emphysema, chronic asthma, carcinoma, tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis and sleep apnea must be referred to a specialist for further evaluation and therapy. If the driver is diagnosed but not treated it can result in the loss of the driver’s Commercial Drivers License (CDL). There are some exceptions to the new rule change, however. The driver may receive his or her CDL if they meet the following criteria:
- Has untreated obstructive sleep apnea with an AHI ≤ 20 AND
- Has no daytime sleepiness OR
- Has obstructive sleep apnea that is being effectively treated.
You can find the complete rule proposal from 2008 here.