Topic: Discuss Restless Leg Syndrome and Periodic Limb Syndrome. Include etiology and neurobiological principles. Discuss treatments with an emphasis on pharmacologic treatments. Don’t forget to include why and how these medications work to reduce symptoms by including the Mechanism of action, evidence for its use, and side effects along with patient education.
Instructions: Peer-reviewed scholarly resources are used for the 2 required discussion posts. A minimum of 150 words, scholarly written, APA formatted, and referenced. A minimum of 2 references are required (other than the course textbook). Required discussion board responses are developed using appropriate peer-reviewed scholarly resources, scholarly writing, and include APA-style citations and references. The in-text citations and references should match in the discussion posts as per APA style. Peer-reviewed scholarly resources should be no more than 5 years old, but this can change based upon your topic.
Discussion Board Assignment
Restless Leg Syndrome
Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a condition associated with discomfort in the legs, which forces the afflicted individual to move their legs to relieve the condition. Spells of RLS commonly occur during inactivity, especially when a person is sleeping, seated, or resting. Although stretching the legs relieves discomfort, stopping causes it to return. A person may acquire RLS genetically or from a secondary cause. A high familial pathway has been established in most RLS cases developing earlier in life than cases that manifest much later (Guo et al., 2017). Secondary causes known to cause RLS include lack of iron, pregnancy, peripheral nerves damage, or final stage renal damage. Dopamine functions as the body’s chemical messengers. The shortage of iron impairs dopamine functions, causing higher spinal cord excitability that causes impulsive leg movements.
Restless Leg Syndrome Medication
RLS treatment may encompass a non-pharmacological or pharmacological approach. The pharmacological approach is based on administering dopaminergic drugs such as pramipexole or ropinirole. The said dopamine-inducing drugs increase dopamine release, which helps stabilize body movements. However, dopaminergic drugs are likely to cause side effects such as sleepiness and impulse control problems. Patient education should warn patients about the possibility of the above side effects and the importance of contacting the physician when the above side effects occur. One non-pharmacological treatment approach may entail the correction of sleep disorders. It is advisable to try non-pharmacological treatment before resorting to drug therapy.
Periodic Limb Syndrome
Periodic limb syndrome (PLS) is a condition associated with continuous sudden movements of the limbs during sleep. The sudden movements occur in a predictable pattern. For instance, the limbs may move periodically every 20 to 40 seconds. The main cause of PLS remains unclear, according to various studies. However, studies have identified several risks thought to correlate with the disorder. Some genes, for example, MEIS1 and BTBD9, which correlate with restless leg syndrome, are thought to increase PLS chances (Catoire et al., 2018). The shortage of iron and ferritin deficiency also intensifies PLS.
PLS Medication
Both medicinal and non-pharmacological treatment approaches may be used to treat PLS. Drug therapy is based on the administration of dopamine receptor agonists, including pramipexole, ropinirole, and pregabalin. The drugs are used in RLS treatment but can also manage periodic limb movements. These drugs increase dopamine levels, which helps in managing muscle movements. The side effects of the above drugs are sleepiness or impulsivity. Patient education should focus on issuing warnings about the side effects and informing patients about contacting the doctor should these occur. Exercise may be used as a possible non-pharmacological treatment approach. Research confirms the presence of a link between decreased periodic limb movement and high beta-endorphin levels (Franco et al., 2019). Moderate exercise increases beta-endorphin production. Hence, exercise is a viable non-medicinal treatment method.
References
Catoire, H., Sarayloo, F., Mourabit Amari, K., Apuzzo, S., Grant, A., Rochefort, D., Xiong, L., Montplaisir, J., Earley, C. J., Turecki, G., Dion, P. A., & Rouleau, G. A. (2018). A direct interaction between two restless legs syndrome predisposing genes: MEIS1 and SKOR1. Scientific Reports, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-30665-6
Franco, B., Daubian-Nosé, P., De-Mello, M. T., & Esteves, A. M. (2019). Exercise as a favorable non-pharmacologic treatment to sleep-related movement disorders: A Review. Sleep Science, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.5935/1984-0063.20190064
Guo, S., Huang, J., Jiang, H., Han, C., Li, J., Xu, X., Zhang, G., Lin, Z., Xiong, N., & Wang, T. (2017). Restless legs syndrome: From pathophysiology to clinical diagnosis and management. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2017.00171
