PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - B. Phillips TI - Morbidity and mortality of sleep-disordered breathing: obstructive sleep apnoea and car crash AID - 10.1183/18106838.0602.115 DP - 2009 Dec 01 TA - Breathe PG - 115--119 VI - 6 IP - 2 4099 - http://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/6/2/115.short 4100 - http://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/6/2/115.full SO - breathe2009 Dec 01; 6 AB - Educational aims To review the results of USA Department of Transportation meta-analysis regarding obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and car crash risk. To discuss factors beyond OSA that increase the risk of crash. Summary Untreated OSA increases the risk of having a car crash two-fold. In addition, the severity of sleep-disordered breathing, degree of oxygen desaturation, self-reported sleepiness and body mass index (BMI) increase the risk of crash in OSA patients. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) reduces the risk of car crash. The data are insufficient for other forms of treatment to date. Sleep loss, medications and driving conditions have also been found to be factors affecting the risk of crash.