Restless Legs Syndrome Doubles Risk Of Stroke And Heart Disease

RLS - watch out for your heart too...BD

People with restless legs syndrome (RLS) are twice as likely to have a stroke or heart disease compared to people without RLS, and the risk is greatest in those with the most frequent and severe symptoms, according to research published in the January 1, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study, the largest of its kind enrolling both men and women, involved 3,433 people with an average age of 68 who were enrolled in the Sleep Heart Health Study. Participants were diagnosed with RLS by detailed questionnaire and asked if they had been diagnosed with a variety of systemic diseases including cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease. Of the participants, nearly seven percent of women and three percent of men had RLS.