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AASMMembershipSectionsNewsletter
■
Issue #5
AmericanAcademy
of SleepMedicine
benoteddopamine-agonists for treatment ofRLS arenot allowed
for usewhiledrivingby commercial drivers.Also, narcolepsy
is disqualifying regardless of treatment becauseof concerns of
uncontrollable excessivedaytime somnolence and sleep attacks.
Brief excessivedaytime sleepiness isnot disqualifying.
General considerationswhendeciding about excessivedaytime
sleepiness include severity; frequency; presenceofwarningof
attacks; possibilityof unwanted sleepduringdriving; degreeof
symptomatic reliefwith treatment; and compliance.Adriver
shouldbe immediatelydisqualified if thedriver admits to excessive
daytime sleepiness during themajorwakeperiodwhiledriving, has
experienced amotor vehicle accident associatedwith falling asleep
or has been foundnoncompliantwith treatment recommendations.
Formore information:
TheMedical Examiner’sHandbook
, publishedonlineby theFederal
MotorCarrier SafetyAdministration
Hartenbaum,N.
TheCommercialDriverMedical Examination
Course Syllabus 2012, producedby theAmericanCollegeof
Occupational andEnvironmentalMedicine
