What Your Yellow Eyelids Could Mean

Do you have yellow eyelids? Researchers in Denmark have found these may be a signal for a heart attack to happen.

Yellow Eyelids Could Be Heart Attack

Patients with xanthelasmata were 48% more likely to have a heart attack.  Xanthelasmata, which are mostly made up of cholesterol, could be a sign of other fatty build-ups in the body.

The research team at the Herlev Hospital in Denmark started following 12,745 people in the 1970s.

At the start of the Denmark study, 4.4% of patients had xanthelasmata. 33 years later, 1,872 had had a heart attack, 3,699 had developed heart disease and 8,507 had died. This data showed that those with the yellow markings around their eyes were at greatest risk.  Those with the markings were 48% more likely to have a heart attack, 39% more likely to have developed heart disease and 14% more likely to have died during the study. The researchers believe patients with xanthelasmata may be more likely to deposit cholesterol around the body.

Doctors can now look at a patients eyelids and if they see the fatty deposits around the eyes they can recommend lifestyle changes to prevent future heart attacks or strokes from xanthelasmata.  We hope these findings will save more lives each year from heart attacks and strokes.