Sleep specialists' opinion on sleep disorders and fitness to drive a car: the necessity of continued education.

Whether patients with sleep disorders are fit to drive, and who should determine this, is a matter of debate. However, scientific literature is available on these topics to aid clinicians making these decisions. A survey was conducted to assess sleep specialists' views on fitness to drive for patients suffering from apnea, insomnia, and narcolepsy.

Next-day effects of ramelteon (8 mg), zopiclone (7.5 mg), and placebo on highway driving performance, memory functioning, psychomotor performance, and mood in healthy adult subjects.

Study Objectives: To evaluate the next-morning residual effects of ramelteon (8 mg), zopiclone (7.5 mg), and placebo on driving performance, memory functioning, psychomotor performance, and mood in healthy adult subjects following bedtime dosing and a middle of the night awakening.

Design: Single-center, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, crossover study.

Effects of alcohol on highway driving in the STISIM driving simulator.

Objective: The STISIM driving simulator is widely used. To enhance its usefulness in pharmacological research, a calibration study was performed to test a standardized highway driving test scenario after administration of three different dosages of alcohol and placebo.

Methods: Twenty-seven healthy young adults (14 men and 13 women; mean age (SD) = 22.

Positive effects of Red Bull® Energy Drink on driving performance during prolonged driving.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine if Red Bull® Energy Drink can counteract sleepiness and driving impairment during prolonged driving.

Methods: Twenty-four healthy volunteers participated in this double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study. After 2 h of highway driving in the STISIM driving simulator, subjects had a 15-min break and consumed Red Bull® Energy Drink (250 ml) or placebo (Red Bull® Energy Drink without the functional ingredients: caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone, B vitamins (niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, B12), and inositol) before driving for two additional hours.

Effect of hypnotic drugs on body balance and standing steadiness.

Background: Disturbed body balance and standing steadiness are problematic for those who wake up at night or in the morning after using hypnotic drugs. As a result, falls and hip fractures are frequently reported in patients using sleep medication.

Methods: A literature search was performed to identify double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials that examined body balance and standing steadiness.

Psychoactive medication and traffic safety.

Driving a car is important to maintain independence and participate in society. Many of those who use psychoactive medication are outpatients and are thus likely to drive a vehicle. Most common adverse effects that impair driving are reduced alertness, affected psychomotor functioning and impaired vision.