Heart disease is a “silent killer” and is becoming more prevalent among younger individuals, raising the awareness of heart health in many people. While professional examinations like auscultation, electrocardiogram and blood tests are helpful to monitor your heart, these 4 body parts can give you a rough idea of your heart health!

1.Forehead wrinkles

In 2018, a study published in the European Society of Cardiology reported that people with more and deeper forehead wrinkles were 10 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those without wrinkles. The theory is that when blood vessels become sclerotic and blocked, the oxygen supply will be reduced, the collagen regeneration in the skin can become impaired, and the connective tissues may lose their elasticity, leading to wrinkle formation and a greater risk of heart disease.

2.Earlobe crease

Diagonal earlobe crease is one of the main external features of patients with coronary heart disease. Cardiovascular imaging has shown a positive correlation between the depth of the diagonal earlobe crease and the degree of damage to the coronary arteries. A team of researchers from the University of Chicago in the US conducted a survey which showed that people with wrinkles on their earlobes were 8 times more likely to develop heart disease than those without wrinkles.

3.Neck size

Neck circumference is one of the indicators of the risk of cardiovascular disease as a thicker neck means a greater likelihood of dyslipidaemia and a higher risk of heart disease. A neck circumference of more than 38 cm for men and 35 cm for women can be regarded as a thick neck, which means a thicker inner lining of carotid arteries. When the carotid arteries become thickened, the lumen of the blood vessels becomes narrower and blood flow slows down, resulting in a high risk of metabolic syndrome. A study conducted in Scotland found that people with metabolic syndrome were twice as likely to develop heart disease as the general population.

4.Waist circumference

There is a direct correlation between obesity and heart disease. If there is too much visceral fat, it will lead to abdominal obesity, otherwise known as "central obesity" or "visceral obesity" in the medical field. This type of obesity predisposes the body to disorders of lipid metabolism and increases the risk of heart disease. If a man's waist circumference is greater than 35.4 inches and a woman's waist circumference is greater than 31.5 inches, then the waist circumference is excessive and you are at risk of developing high blood pressure and heart disease.

If you have any of the above characteristics, you may be at a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases. You should consult a doctor and receive a cardiovascular check-up to monitor your heart, blood sugar, cholesterol or blood pressure levels to keep your heart in good shape.

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