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D.O.T. and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Posted By: Tammy Scully

The purpose of the DOT medical evaluation is to determine the safety of drivers while driving certain vehicle types. Obstructive Sleep Apnea has been determined to be a safety issue, and new guidelines have been suggested.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and its resulting decreased alertness has been recognized as a potential cause of motor vehicle accidents. People who have OSA are generally overweight and have large, thick necks. When sleeping, the muscles relax in the neck, therefore allowing the tissues of the neck to fall upon, or squeeze, the airway with partial obstruction. This causes snoring and pauses in breathing. These pauses then cause the person to take a deep breath to open the airway. This then will interrupt the normal sleeping pattern and prevent the person from going into REM (deep) sleep. Without REM (deep) sleep, a person does not get the rest needed for alertness.

Determination of OSA is obtained by monitoring breathing patterns during a sleep study. If the test is positive, the person will need to use a medicine at night called C-PAP (This stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). This will keep the airway open at night enabling the person to get a good night's sleep.

To determine who may have this condition, it is recommended to evaluate the person's BMI (Body Mass Index). This tool evaluates the person for normal height and weight, overweight, status, and the four stages of obesity. For a BMI of 30-35, a sleep study will be required for any symptoms of loud snoring or pauses in breathing. For a BMI of 35 or greater and no symptoms, a sleep study will be required to determine if the person has OSA. The person then needs to use the C-PAP machine on a regular basis. A one year card will be given.

The UTC provider will inform the employer of sleep study needs, and the employee will be referred to their primary care provider. Once the study report and results are returned to UTC, our provider will then be able to provide the DOT certifications.

If you have any questions, please call us at 859-273-8882.