Psych Vivas · Psychopharmacology — fitness to drive
Psychotropics, sedation and driving — consultant viva
Fellowship viva covering residual hypnotic impairment, crash epidemiology, illness vs drug effects, counselling, and licence-class standards.
On this page
Study tools
Target exams
FRANZCPMRCPsychABPNMD-DNB
Prompt
Examiner places cards: SDLP, zopiclone 7.5 mg, long-half-life BZD elderly, Thomas ~2×, Fournier concurrent, methylphenidate ADHD highway, commercial licence, alcohol co-use, document advice.
Opening (1–2 min)
Define fitness to drive as a clinical–functional judgment integrating illness severity, medication residual/psychomotor effects, substance co-use, and licence class — not a permanent ban on all psychotropics.[1][10]
References10ShowHide
- [1]Verster JC, Mets MA. Psychoactive medication and traffic safety Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2009.PMID 19440432
- [2]Thomas RE. Benzodiazepine use and motor vehicle accidents. Systematic review of reported association Can Fam Physician, 1998.PMID 9585853
- [3]Hemmelgarn B, Suissa S, Huang A, et al. Benzodiazepine use and the risk of motor vehicle crash in the elderly JAMA, 1997.PMID 9207334
- [4]Verster JC, Veldhuijzen DS, Volkerts ER. Residual effects of sleep medication on driving ability Sleep Med Rev, 2004.PMID 15233958
- [5]Gustavsen I, Bramness JG, Skurtveit S, et al. Road traffic accident risk related to prescriptions of the hypnotics zopiclone, zolpidem, flunitrazepam and nitrazepam Sleep Med, 2008.PMID 18226959
- [6]Wingen M, Ramaekers JG, Schmitt JA. Driving impairment in depressed patients receiving long-term antidepressant treatment Psychopharmacology (Berl), 2006.PMID 16865389
- [7]Verster JC, Roth T. Methylphenidate significantly reduces lapses of attention during on-road highway driving in patients with ADHD J Psychopharmacol, 2014.PMID 24978156
- [8]Fournier JP, Wilchesky M, Patenaude V, et al. Concurrent Use of Benzodiazepines and Antidepressants and the Risk of Motor Vehicle Accident in Older Drivers: A Nested Case-Control Study CNS Drugs, 2015.PMID 26847674
- [9]Dassanayake T, Michie P, Carter G, et al. Effects of benzodiazepines, antidepressants and opioids on driving: a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological and experimental evidence Drug Saf, 2011.PMID 21247221
- [10]Brunnauer A, Herpich F, Zwanzger P, et al. Driving Performance Under Treatment of Most Frequently Prescribed Drugs for Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review of Patient Studies Int J Neuropsychopharmacol, 2021.PMID 34038545