High cholesterol does not always cause obvious symptoms. It is often only detected through a blood test. Researchers are therefore investigating whether the body may show signs of increased risk in other ways.
A new study, published in the journal Atherosclerosis, examined the medical records of nearly 18,000 people with a specific change around the eyes. They were compared with roughly the same number of people without the change.
The researchers found a clear association, but the study cannot prove that the change causes cardiovascular disease.
Not necessarily dangerous
According to Prevention, the change can also occur in people with normal cholesterol levels. It is therefore not a definitive sign of problems with the heart or blood vessels.
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Cardiologist Cori Russell of Henry Ford Health also points to a limitation of the study. The researchers did not take into account whether participants had received treatment for high cholesterol or how long they had been receiving it.
Other factors may also play a role. According to experts interviewed by Prevention, liver and thyroid function may also be relevant to examine.
The sign around the eye
The change is known as xanthelasma and appears as yellowish fatty deposits on the skin, often near the inner corner of the eye.
The study found that people with xanthelasma had a two to three times higher risk of conditions including heart attack or stroke than people without it.
This does not mean that xanthelasma automatically leads to heart disease. Instead, the finding may be a reason to ask a doctor to check cholesterol levels and other risk factors.
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This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.