Health

Study: signs of aging could indicate higher risk of heart disease

By WEEK Producer
By NBC News

Study: signs of aging could indicate higher risk of heart disease

November 7, 2012 Updated Nov 7, 2012 at 11:16 AM CDT

DENMARK -- Graying or thinning hair, wrinkles, puffier eyes...all of these signs of aging could also signal heart attack risk.

Researchers in Denmark analyzed data from a large study on heart disease, looking for a link between visible signs of aging and an aging heart.

People who had at least 3 or 4 signs, like baldness at the crown of the head, wrinkles, fatty deposits around the eyes, earlobe creases, had a 57 percent increased risk for a heart attack.

Heart disease is more prevalent among older people, and researchers say doctors should routinely check their patients for visible signs of aging.

The amount of gray hair or number of wrinkles had no impact on heart disease risk.

This study is from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and was presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions.

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