title: The association of Restless Legs Syndrome with hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
abstract: Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), is a sensory-motor neurological disorder that appears to be surprisingly common in the community. Periodic limb movements in sleep are typically encountered in more than 80% of RLS patients and comprise involuntary muscular jerks in the lower limbs, such as flexion of the knees or ankles.  Iron deficiency and dopaminergic neuronal dysfunction in the central nervous system are currently thought to be the likely pathophysiological culprits. There is evidence linking RLS to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. This short review will first present a synopsis of epidemiological, clinical and pathophysiological data concerning the syndrome, and then information on the possible links between RLS and cardiovascular disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Katsi
authors.affiliation: First University Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Themistoklis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katsimichas
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Asklepeion General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Manolis S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kallistratos
authors.affiliation: First University Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsekoura
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Elena Venizelou Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Makris
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Asklepeion General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Manolis
authors.affiliation: First University Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tousoulis
authors.affiliation: First University Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Christodoulos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stefanadis
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kallikazaros
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology
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