Yellow eyelid spots may signal higher risk of heart attack and stroke
A new Stanford study finds that people with xanthelasma - yellowish plaques on the eyelids - experience slightly higher rates of heart attacks and strokes than those without the condition.
Xanthelasma, characterized by small yellowish bumps on the eyelids, results from cholesterol deposits under the skin. While generally harmless, a Stanford investigation compared long-term health data of a large cohort of patients with the condition to a similarly sized control group without it. Over the follow-up period, the xanthelasma group showed a modestly higher incidence of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular accidents.
The researchers propose that these external signs may mirror systemic atherosclerosis, which often develops silently. They caution that the association is statistical, not causal, but recommend that clinicians assess cholesterol levels and other heart-disease risk factors in patients presenting with the lesions.
Why it matters
The findings suggest a simple skin sign could help identify people who need cardiovascular risk evaluation.
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