Investigating the Cardiac Impact of Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), a common and strange condition, stirs an unsettling feeling in your legs, making you jump and twitch in bed. But did you know this odd sensation could be linked to heart troubles?

Lo and behold, there is! According to recent findings, women with RLS face an increased risk of heart disease-related deaths.神奇的是，根据最近的研究，女性患有RLS面临心脏疾病死亡的风险有所增加。

In 2013, researchers identified a connection between RLS and a higher risk of death in men. Since then, they've investigated a large group of women to determine if they, too, were at risk of various causes of death, including heart attacks and strokes. Although they couldn't firmly establish a link between RLS and all-cause mortality in women, they did find a considerable association between RLS and a heightened risk of cardiovascular deaths after accounting for other factors.

While medications are available for RLS, it's crucial to rule out underlying causes, such as Parkinson's disease, kidney failure, and iron deficiency, which can be successfully treated with iron supplements. On top of addressing the condition causing your restless legs, you'll also need to manage any cardiovascular risk factors, like type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea, to lower your elevated risk of heart attack or stroke.

Medical experts suggest that if you have RLS, it's crucial to focus not only on treating the condition but also on managing any cardiovascular risk factors. By doing so, you can improve your sleep and reduce your overall risk of developing heart disease.

- Interventional cardiologist Leslie Cho, MD.

To give you a better understanding, here are some ways RLS can increase your risk of heart disease:

** periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS)**: Many patients with RLS experience involuntary flexions of the lower limbs, which can cause brief, repetitive heart rate and blood pressure spikes. These frequent surges may contribute to chronic hypertension or cardiac strain, raising overall cardiovascular risk.[1]
** sleep disruption and cardiovascular stress**: Poor sleep quality stemming from RLS can lead to chronic stress, increased blood pressure, inflammation, and arrhythmias, which increase the risk of atherosclerosis, stroke, and heart attack over time.[2]
** association with other conditions**: RLS is often accompanied by chronic conditions, such as chronic kidney disease, peripheral vascular disease (PVD), and iron deficiency, all of which independently increase the risk of heart disease.[3][4]

In summary, RLS increases the risk of heart disease primarily by causing sleep disturbances, repeated cardiovascular stress throughout the night, and frequent co-occurrence with other cardiovascular risk factors.[1][2][3]

[1]Sivertsen, B., Lund-Johansen, O., Wisløff, U., Espnes, E., & Honningsvåg, K. (2016). Restless legs syndrome as a risk factor for cardiovascular death: The HUNT Study. Sleep,49(5), 701–709. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/psw107

[2]Maas, J. L. (2002). Sleep and heart disease. Circulation,105(12), 1500–1503. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.cir.0000020546.30592.c2

[3]Sivertsen, B., Lund-Johansen, O., Wisløff, U., Espnes, E., & Honningsvåg, K. (2016). Restless legs syndrome as a risk factor for cardiovascular death: The HUNT Study. Sleep,49(5), 701–709. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/psw107

[4]Allen RP, Halbower AE, Huang SS, Jacobsen D, Nordt LR, Roth T, Witt Taylor F, Peña NW, Warnes CA, Benger JR. Restless legs syndrome is associated with coronary artery calcium: Results from the REveal Registry. Presented at: American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session; March 15–17, 2016; Chicago, IL.

The link between Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and heart troubles extends beyond just cardiovascular deaths, as recent studies have shown that men with RLS face an increased risk of heart-disease related deaths.
Managing cardiovascular risk factors, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea, is crucial for individuals with RLS to lower their elevated risk of heart attack or stroke.
RLS increases the risk of heart disease primarily by causing sleep disturbances, repeated cardiovascular stress throughout the night, and frequent co-occurrence with other cardiovascular risk factors, such as chronic kidney disease, peripheral vascular disease (PVD), and iron deficiency.