Cardiovascular Disease Much More Common In Patients With Restless Leg Syndrome
January 2nd, 2008 | by David Reiner, M.D. | 
Restless Leg Syndrome is a disease characterized by a strong urge to move your legs, typically being a movement that cannot be resisted. It is typically worse at rest, improves during periods of movement or activity and typically is worse in the evening. It occurs frequently during sleep, resulting in periods of awakening which prevent the brain from reaching deeper levels of sleep that are necessary to feel well rested.
This multi-center study looked at the relationship between Restless Leg Syndrome(RLS) and the prevalence of Cardiovascular disease. 1,559 men and 1,874 women were enrolled in this study, and had symptoms of RLS at least 5 times per month. After adjustment for other cardiovascular risk factors such as age, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and elevated cholesterol with special statistical formulas, the risk of heart disease in patients with RLS was evaluated in comparison to those without this sleep disorder.
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease was 2.07 times more likely in those with RLS compared to patients without this disorder. The risk was even stronger in those with more severe symptoms of RLS.
Reference: Windelman JW et al, Neurology 2008;70:35-42.