Seize the day carpe diem4/15/2023 ![]() ![]() In every state, potential drivers must report that they have seizures to the state licensing authority. One critical issue is who should report the driver with epilepsy. Unfortunately, not all states give physicians legal immunity when they supply this type of information.( 4) Although the state makes the final decision, many states rely very strongly on a physician's findings and recommendations. The physician or other health care provider has a duty to serve as a consultant or advisor to the state and the patient and to comply with the law. But what is the duty of the physician? To me, the key point is this: it is the responsibility of the state, not the physician, to determine who should or should not drive an automobile. In the United States, all states have laws and rules prohibiting licensing drivers with medical conditions that may pose safety risks, like loss of consciousness or seizures. ![]() Establishing a likely cause will help determine whether it presents a real risk for driving.( 3) This is done with a careful history and physical, followed by appropriate clinical or diagnostic tests, which may include screening blood work, an EKG, an EEG, or a brain imaging study. The Commentaryīy reporting a recent seizure to his new physician, this man suddenly confronts his doctor with the difficult and complex legal and medical problem of managing and advising the driver with seizures or epilepsy.( 1,2) My first step when caring for a patient who reports loss or alteration of consciousness is to try to determine the cause. The patient was very upset with the treating physician, but the physician felt he was complying with the law. The patient reported that his neurologist allowed him to drive "only to and from work" because his seizures were "nocturnal." Despite the patient receiving treatment from several physicians over the years, this was the first time a physician explained the need to report his condition to the DMV. To his surprise, the physician informed him of the need to alert the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) about his seizure disorder. The patient requested a "handicapped" license plate because of increasing difficulty walking long distances due to his osteoarthritis. Two months prior to this presentation, the patient called the on-call physician worried that he had suffered a seizure. His medications included phenytoin for his seizure disorder. He had several chronic medical conditions including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, depression, osteoarthritis, and a seizure disorder. Manhattan-based newspaper: Abbr.A 53-year-old man presented for a new patient visit at a local medical clinic.Isle of Dogs voice actor _ Schreiber crossword clue.British monarch for short crossword clue.Dorothy's dog from The Wizard of Oz crossword clue.Keke _ Scream Queens actress who voices Izzy Hawthorne in the movie Lightyear crossword clue. ![]()
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