Physical medicine and rehabilitation clinics of North America
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Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am · Nov 2009
ReviewCardiovascular disease in persons with spinal cord dysfunction-an update on select topics.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death in people with spinal cord injury (SCI), yet little is known about the prevalence of the disorder and how risk factors for CVD, such as dyslipidemia, diabetes, and obesity, differ compared with the able-bodied population. Additionally, limb loss, an underappreciated topic in the setting of SCI, is a frequent complication of SCI, and may be related to CVD, either directly, as undiagnosed peripheral vascular disease, or indirectly, as a consequence of diabetes or obesity. This article briefly reviews the topics of dyslipidemia, diabetes, and obesity in SCI and discusses the management of limb loss for individuals with SCI.