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Multithumb found errors on this page: There was a problem loading image C:\wamp\www\images/stories/08_restless.jpg  Middle-aged women who suffer from a common condition called restless legs syndrome may be at increased risk of high blood pressure, U.S. researchers report. Restless legs syndrome is a sensory motor disorder that causes intense, unpleasant leg sensations, and an irresistible urge to move the legs, often at night. The condition, which may affect between 5 to 15 percent of U.S. adults, can disrupt sleep and cause daytime drowsiness. "For those who experience restless legs syndrome symptoms, please consult your doctor regarding this issue," said lead researcher Dr. Xiang Gao, an assistant professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School. "The risk of hypertension can be substantially reduced by following a healthy life style, including a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and keeping optimal body weight," he added. Unabated, hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, can have dire consequences. In 2006, it contributed to 326,000 deaths in the United States, according to background information in the study, published online Oct. 10 in Hypertension. For the study, Gao's team collected data on almost 98,000 women, averaging about 50 years of age, who took part in the Nurses Health Study II. In 2005, the women were asked about symptoms that could indicate restless legs syndrome (RLS) and also about their blood pressure. Specifically, they were asked if they had unusual crawling sensations, or pain combined with motor restlessness plus an "urge to move." Women with five or more episodes a month were considered to have RLS, and more than 65,500 were included in the final analysis. The researchers found a significant connection between RLS and blood pressure. The worse a woman's RLS, the higher her blood pressures, they reported. More than one-quarter (26 percent) of the women with five to 14 incidents of RLS a month had high blood pressure, according to the study, among women with 15 or more episodes a month, one in three had high blood pressure. Only about percent of the women without RLS had high blood pressure, the researchers said. The link between restless legs syndrome and increased blood pressure remained even after the researchers took into account the women's age, weight, smoking, and stroke or heart attack. However, the overall differences in blood pressure were small, the authors stressed, and more research is needed to confirm the findings. "Because this is a cross-sectional study, we don't know which condition -- restless legs syndrome or hypertension -- comes first," Gao said. "But one possibility is that women with restless legs syndrome are more likely to develop high blood pressure in the future. However, we should be very cautious to reach such a conclusion as it should be supported by a prospective study," he said. Earlier studies in men also found a link between restless legs syndrome and high blood pressure, the researchers noted. Dr. Domenic Sica, professor of medicine and pharmacology and director of the Blood Pressure Disorders Unit at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, and co-author of an accompanying journal editorial, noted that interrupted sleep can affect blood pressure. "If you didn't sleep well and you measured your blood pressure and you were anxiety-prone, the pressure would probably be higher," he said. "Sleep can help anxiety, but if you don't sleep you never have enough rest to bring your blood pressure down at night, which is what it's supposed to do. Blood pressure is supposed to drop about 20 percent at night." Restless legs syndrome can cause blood pressure to be chaotic at night, Sica said. Still unknown is how treating RLS would affect blood pressure, he said. If RLS is treated, one may feel better the next day after getting uninterrupted sleep, Sica said. "But whether that translates into blood pressure reduction remains the million dollar question," he said. - Treatments and drugs By Mayo Clinic staff Sometimes, treating an underlying condition, such as iron deficiency or peripheral neuropathy, greatly relieves symptoms of restless legs syndrome. Correcting the iron deficiency may involve taking iron supplements. However, take iron supplements only with medical supervision and after your doctor has checked your blood-iron level. If you have RLS without any associated condition, treatment focuses on lifestyle changes, and, if those aren't effective, medications. * Caution about medications One thing to remember with drugs to treat RLS is that sometimes a medication that has worked for you for a while becomes ineffective. Or you notice your symptoms returning earlier in the day. For example, if you have been taking your medication at 8 p.m., your symptoms of RLS may start at 6 p.m. This is called augmentation. Your doctor may substitute another medication to combat the problem. Most of the drugs prescribed to treat RLS aren't recommended for pregnant women. Instead, your doctor may recommend self-care techniques to relieve symptoms. However, if the sensations are particularly bothersome during your last trimester, your doctor may approve the use of pain relievers. Some medications may worsen symptoms of RLS. These include most antidepressants and some anti-nausea drugs. Your doctor may recommend that you avoid these medications if possible. However, should you need to take these medications, restless legs can still be controlled by adding drugs that manage the condition. (Source: health.msn& mayoclinic) HIGHLIGHT: "For those who experience restless legs syndrome symptoms, please consult your doctor regarding this issue," said lead researcher Dr. Xiang Gao, an assistant professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School. CAPTION: Iron deficiency anemia a common cause of RLS   Socialize this Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay in touch and receive all of TT updates right in your feed reader
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