Lorry drivers 'should be tested for sleep apnoea'
More should be done to test lorry drivers for sleep apnoea, one sufferer has said.
Richard Mundy, from Wellington, told the Shropshire Star that the condition means that he often falls asleep in public and wakes up feeling very tired.
He said the cumulative effect of this is that "you become a big liability", adding that this could lead to road safety issues for lorry drivers.
The sufferer, who could help his condition with oxygen therapy, is now campaigning for lorry drivers to be tested for the condition, saying: "If you fall asleep at the wheel of a 40-tonne artic it can have an unthinkable consequence."
He added that people who are not yet using oxygen therapy to treat the condition should continue to see their doctor, as it can take a long time to be diagnosed with the problem.
Dr Paul Donohue, writing for the Herald Review, said that pressurised air, or oxygen therapy, can be used to treat sleep apnoea as it forces air down the throat and into the lungs.
Posted by Stewart Elliott
17/02/2010 16:47:51
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