The aim of the present paper is to examine the complex relationship between medication and driving ability from the point of view of Physicians and Pharmacists responsible for treating patients who drive: that is, choosing the right medication (medically prescribed or over-the-counter), or modifying treatment accordingly, informing the patient about the prescribed drug or drugs, dispensing the medication, and monitoring adverse drug reactions. The authors present an overview of how to assess the effects of medication on driving ability and consider how medications are labelled as regards their effects on driving performance. Factors related to the driver are considered and also related to the taking of medication, which define the final relationship between medication and driving performance. The key role of health professionals in informing their patients, and the public at large, about medication and psychomotor performance and driving ability, is analysed.
Abstract