In the last years there was an increasing concern about driving and some medical conditions. Diabetes is one of the diseases associated with road traffic accidents. This increased risk is associated with hypoglycemia and diabetes complications such as: retinopathy, cataracts and neuropathy. In order to avoid car crashes patients must follow some rules like carrying some sugar source in their vehicle, always measure blood glycemia before start driving, never begin an extended drive with blood glucose less than 90 mg/dl without prophylactic carbohydrate consumption, stop the vehicle as soon any of the symptoms of low blood glucose are experienced and measure and treat the blood glucose level. In Portugal there are new rules for diabetic drivers since January 2013. Group 1 drivers are considerer unfit to drive if they have severe or recurrent hypoglycemia. Group 2 drivers need to present a medical report certificating they have good diabetes control, have not had any severe or recurrent hypoglycemia in the last twelve months and there aren’t any other diabetes complications. (Author/publisher)
Abstract