Opinion ID: 173275
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Sleep Apnea

Text: Medical evidence supports the claim that Loughray suffers from sleep apnea, but not the claim that it constitutes a disabling condition. The specialists at National Jewish Medical and Research Sleep Centers diagnosed Loughray with sleep apnea. However, nothing in the record suggests this condition disables Loughray or cannot adequately be controlled by using oxygen; rather Loughray was advised to use oxygen to counteract the effect of this disorder. In his review, Dr. Truchelut explained that Loughray’s sleep apnea could affect her, but not in a manner that impaired her ability to work as a sales commissioned employee, and furthermore, that the condition was being treated with the use of oxygen: Because of the polysomnogram findings, some occupational restrictions might be reasonable, but this would be limited to avoidance of hazardous workplace environments such as unprotected heights or moving machinery, or at least until such time as her sleep specialist or other providers had determined that treatment with oxygen or some other therapy was adequate to correct the condition. This appears to have occurred at the time when the second polysomnogram of 10/01/01 was performed. (Id. at 254.) Thus, based on this independent review, Hartford did not act arbitrarily and capriciously in concluding that Loughray was not disabled as a result of sleep apnea.