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.

Novice drivers' performance after different alcohol dosages and placebo in the divided-attention steering simulator (DASS).

Rationale: The divided-attention steering simulator (DASS) is designed to measure lane-keeping (i.e., a tracking task using a steering wheel) while performing a secondary visual task (responding to digits that appear in the corners of the computer screen).

Validation of the Dutch Occupational Impact of Sleep Questionnaire (OISQ).

Sleep problems are often under-diagnosed, but may have a profound impact on work performance. The purpose of this study was to validate the Dutch version of the Occupational Impact of Sleep Questionnaire (OISQ). A total of 555 adults with a regular daytime job completed the OISQ.

Zolpidem and traffic safety - the importance of treatment compliance.

Zolpidem is among the most frequently prescribed hypnotic drugs for those who suffer from insomnia. Recent media reports drew attention to driving impairment after zolpidem misuse. This review summarizes the available data on the effects of recommended use and misuse of zolpidem on driving ability and traffic safety.

Hypnotics and driving safety: meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials applying the on-the-road driving test.

Background: Many people who use hypnotics are outpatients and are likely to drive a car the day after drug intake. The purpose of these meta-analyses was to determine whether or not this is safe.

Methods: Placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind trials were selected if using the on-the-road driving test to determine driving ability the day following one or two nights of treatment administration.

Methylphenidate significantly improves driving performance of adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a randomized crossover trial.

Although patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have reported improved driving performance on methylphenidate, limited evidence exists to support an effect of treatment on driving performance and some regions prohibit driving on methylphenidate. A randomized, crossover trial examining the effects of methylphenidate versus placebo on highway driving in 18 adults with ADHD was carried out. After three days of no treatment, patients received either their usual methylphenidate dose (mean: 14.

Event-related potentials and secondary task performance during simulated driving.

Inattention and distraction account for a substantial number of traffic accidents. Therefore, we examined the impact of secondary task performance (an auditory oddball task) on a primary driving task (lane keeping). Twenty healthy participants performed two 20-min tests in the Divided Attention Steering Simulator (DASS).

Validation of the Dutch version of the brief young adult alcohol consequences questionnaire (B-YAACQ).

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to validate the Dutch version of the Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire (B-YAACQ).

Method: The B-YAACQ was translated into the Dutch language and 800 students were invited to complete the questionnaire. A number of drinking behaviors were also assessed; including weekly drinking, age of drinking onset, and blood alcohol concentration on a typical night out.

The impact of chronic pain patients' psychotropic drug knowledge and warning labels on the decision whether to drive a car or not.

Objective: The attitudes of patients towards driving a car while taking medication with psychotropic side effects is unclear. A growing number of patients use these psychotropic medicines on a daily basis, and this may interfere with their ability to drive a car.

Methods: By means of a survey, we examined attitudes towards driving while using psychotropic medicinal drugs and the effect of warning labels on the decision whether to drive a car or not in patients with chronic pain.

Sleep disorders, sleepiness and traffic safety: a public health menace.

Sleep disorders are not uncommon and have been widely reported throughout the world. They have a profound impact on industrialized 24-h societies. Consequences of these problems include impaired social and recreational activities, increased human errors, loss of productivity, and elevated risk of accidents.

Effects of an opioid (oxycodone/paracetamol) and an NSAID (bromfenac) on driving ability, memory functioning, psychomotor performance, pupil size, and mood.

Objective: It has been suggested that driving a car is relatively safe when the driver is treated with nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs than when he or she is treated with opioid analgesics. However, the evidence for this statement is scarce. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug (bromfenac 25 mg and 50 mg) and an opioid (oxycodone/paracetamol 5/325 mg and 10/650 mg), and placebo on driving ability, memory functioning, psychomotor performance, pupil size, and mood.

Effect of chronic nonmalignant pain on highway driving performance.

Most pain patients are treated in an outpatient setting and are engaged in daily activities including driving. Since several studies showed that cognitive functioning may be impaired in chronic nonmalignant pain, the question arises whether or not chronic nonmalignant pain affects driving performance. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine the effects of chronic nonmalignant pain on actual highway driving performance during normal traffic.

Acute and subchronic effects of amitriptyline 25mg on actual driving in chronic neuropathic pain patients.

The acute and subchronic effects of low doses nocturnally administered amitriptyline were compared to placebo in a double-blind crossover randomized study on driving ability and driving-related skills involving seven chronic neuropathic pain patients. Performance testing occurred at the first and last day of each 15-day drug administration period, which was preceded by a 6-day washout phase. A standardized method of measuring driving ability, the on-the-road driving test, was performed on all visits.

Interventions for preventing or treating alcohol hangover: systematic review of randomised controlled trials.

Objective: To assess the clinical evidence on the effectiveness of any medical intervention for preventing or treating alcohol hangover.

Data Sources: Systematic searches on Medline, Embase, Amed, Cochrane Central, the National Research Register (UK), and ClincalTrials.gov (USA); hand searches of conference proceedings and bibliographies; contact with experts and manufacturers of commercial preparations.

Residual effects of sleep medication on driving ability.

Most patients using hypnotics are ambulatory and presumably have a job and drive a car. Since driving a car is one of the most common but potentially dangerous daily activities, hypnotics should act rapidly when needed, but daytime sleepiness and other residual effects that may impair performance are unwanted. This review summarizes the effects of hypnotics on driving ability as determined with the on-the-road driving test during normal traffic.

Antihistamines and driving ability: evidence from on-the-road driving studies during normal traffic.

Background: All antihistamines are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier and thus may cause sedation. Most antihistamine users are ambulatory patients and therefore presumably drive a car.

Objective: To summarize the effects of antihistamine drugs on driving ability.

Clinical pharmacology, clinical efficacy, and behavioral toxicity of alprazolam: a review of the literature.

Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine derivative that is currently used in the treatment of generalized anxiety, panic attacks with or without agoraphobia, and depression. Alprazolam has a fast onset of symptom relief (within the first week); it is unlikely to produce dependency or abuse. No tolerance to its therapeutic effect has been reported.