NTSB Rules Untreated Apnea
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* As of November 19, 2002 at 11:25:20 PM EDT (-0500) the U.S. population was 288,535,916. With estimates that about five percent of the population suffers from obstructive sleep apnea, that means there are potentially 14,426,796 apneics in the U.S. |
| * As of November 19, 2002 at 11:25:20 PM EDT (-0500) the world population was 6,257,187,886. With estimates that about five percent of the population suffers from obstructive sleep apnea, that means there are potentially 312,859,394 apneics in the world. |
| * In the 1990 U.S. Census, Philadelphia's population was 1,585,577. With estimates that about five percent of the population suffers from obstructive sleep apnea, that means there are potentially 79,279 apneics in Philadelphia alone. Based on statistics that approximately 95 percent of all apneics are currently undiagnosed, that means that there are 75,315 Philadelphians that are likely suffering the many effects of apnea in their daily lives, not including those whose lives are impacted by those with untreated apnea. |
| * In the 1990 U.S. Census, Pennsylvania's population was 11,881,643. With estimates that about five percent of the population suffers from obstructive sleep apnea, that means there are potentially 594,082 apneics in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Based on statistics that approximately 95 percent of all apneics are currently undiagnosed, that means that there are 564,378 Pennsylvanians that are likely suffering the many effects of apnea in their daily lives, not including those whose lives are impacted by those with untreated apnea. |
It's ironic, I feel, that the NTSB report was issued one day before the National Sleep Foundation's “National Summit to Prevent Drowsy Driving” got underway in Washington, D.C. The summit, which runs November 21 and November 22, will be touching on some of the issues involved in this unfortunate wreck, including “People with Undiagnosed and Untreated Sleep Disorders.” The NSF also announced the release the findings of it's “2002 Sleep In America” poll, which is aimed at reducing the perilous poll numbers, come just days before some 70 million drivers are expected to be on the roads for the Thanksgiving holiday. This year's poll is the fifth consecutive year that approximately one-half or more of adult drivers admit to driving while drowsy or sleepy in NSF's annual poll. One percent of the respondents say they had an accident because they dozed off or were too tired to drive, a figure that has remained consistent in the polls, according to the NSF.
“We are definitely on a collision course in this country,” says Richard L. Gelula, NSF's executive director. “More and more drivers are on the road, and millions of them get behind the wheel feeling sleepy, apparently without considering the inherent dangers they pose to themselves and others. This is a wake-up call to everyone who drives a motor vehicle or rides in a car, truck or bus: driving while feeling drowsy or fatigued is a lethal combination, and is no less an impairment than driving while drunk,” he adds.
Click here to download the Yahoo version of the Associated Press story in PDF format.
Do you have an undiagnosed sleep disorder? Not sure? Take these two online tests today to determine the likelihood that you may have a sleep disorder.
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