JUNIPER PUBLISHERS - OPEN ACCESS JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY & CARDIOVASCULAR THERAPY Keywords Keywords: Stroke; Coronary artery disease; Paraplegia; Tetraplegia Opinion Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating, life-changing condition causing paralysis and sensory impairment as well as autonomic dysfunction. In addition, evidence documents a state of chronic inflammation in individuals with SCI [ 1 - 4 ]. Importantly, chronic inflammation is a significant cardiovascular disease risk factor. Furthermore, paralysis can lead to a relatively sedentary life style and a consequent reduction in physical work capacity [ 58 ]. Other consequences of inactivity are a higher body weight, a higher percentage of body fat [ 9 , 10 ], skeletal muscle dysfunction [ 11 - 14 ] and a lower forced vital capacity [ 15 - 17 ]. Autonomic dysfunction involves an abnormal and unstable regulation of the of the heart and vasculature [ 18 ].
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