| Restless legs syndrome is an odd, yet common | | | | awaking the blood pressure goes up and then it |
| disorder that causes people to continually move their | | | | comes down again, and then you have frequent little |
| legs, especially at night when they're trying to fall | | | | awakening, frequent little increases in blood |
| asleep. | | | | pressure,"says Dr. Howard Maker, a neurologist at |
| As if that wasn't bad enough, now there's new | | | | Beth Israel Medical Center. |
| research that shows it may increase one's blood | | | | The study found blood pressure rates during periodic |
| pressure and overall risk for cardiovascular disease. | | | | leg movements rose by an average of 20 points for |
| This is a neurological problem, sort of in the same | | | | the systolic reading, which is the top number, and by an |
| family as Parkinson's. | | | | average of 11 points for the diastolic reading, which is |
| Restless legs syndrome is an odd, yet common | | | | the bottom or second number. |
| disorder that causes people to continually move their | | | | The authors argue that drastic blood pressure surges |
| legs, especially at night when they're trying to fall | | | | at night have been associated with a higher rate of |
| asleep. | | | | stroke in the elderly. |
| As if that wasn't bad enough, now there's new | | | | Dr. Maker though, says the jury is still out with RLS. |
| research that shows it may increase one's blood | | | | "Restless leg syndrome may or may not have a bad |
| pressure and overall risk for cardiovascular disease. | | | | effect on the cardiovascular system it hasn't been |
| This is a neurological problem, sort of in the same | | | | proven that these little increases in blood pressure |
| family as Parkinson's. | | | | have been dangerous, we do know that the patients |
| But this latest research does indeed suggest a | | | | are grateful that the restless legs is diminished and that |
| spill-over effect on the cardiovascular system. | | | | is what we are treating, we are making the patients |
| Helen Catlin is a nurse who can tell you first hand what | | | | feel better, their quality of life improves." |
| being a patient with restless legs syndrome is like. | | | | And, by treating the restless legs, the blood pressure |
| Patients with RLS may report an almost irresistible | | | | issue presumably would go away. |
| urge to move the legs. | | | | Helen's blood pressure typically runs in the low range, |
| The sensations usually are worse during inactivity. | | | | so she's not at risk; but the medications have changed |
| "It would bother me at night, sometimes I would have | | | | her life in the more obvious way. "I get a good night |
| trouble going to sleep or sometimes it would wake me | | | | sleep, on the medication I am relieved of the |
| up at night, it would be a sensation of not pain, but | | | | symptoms totally. I wouldn't know what I would do |
| enough discomfort that you would have to move, an | | | | without it." |
| ache a real ache that would only be relieved by | | | | Dr. Maker points out this was studied in only ten |
| moving your legs, " says Helen. "As it progressed I | | | | patients, so, a bigger study is required. |
| realized I was waking up because my legs were | | | | That shouldn't be hard to do, because RLS is very |
| bothering me." | | | | common as we mentioned. Affecting about 10-15% of |
| And those frequent awakenings, common for those | | | | the general population, with men and women affected |
| with RLS, appear to create a cardiovascular risk. | | | | equally. It is often unrecognized or misdiagnosed. |
| "You actually wake up a little bit when they do sleep | | | | Many patients are not diagnosed until 10-20 years |
| studies and during that period of awakening or almost | | | | after symptom onset. |