One health expert has named signs of a silent killer that dermatologists see in your legs, nails and ears....CONTINUE READING
A dermatologist has shared a number of signs that show themselves on our skin, but could be an indicator for other conditions, such as heart disease. Changes in the skin can be indicative of your overall health. This be be from the development of conditions like eczema
to more serious illnesses.
Dermatologist Dr Dustin Portela has shared what experts in his field look for on the skin that could indicate heart disease, The Liverpool Echo
reported. According to the NHS
, coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of death in the UK and across the world.
Heart disease’s main symptoms are internal, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and pain throughout the body. On his TikTok @drdustinportela, Dr Portela explains that dermatologists are trained to look for signs that emerge on our skin.
Dr Portela said: “Do you know that dermatologists are trained to look for clues on the skin to tell you if you have heart disease. Dermatologists are trained to look for the signs of internal disease that come out on your skin.”
He first points out a clue that appears in the legs, saying: “Here’s a few that might signal a risk for heart disease. First up is swelling of the legs, particularly bilateral edema. This is an example of unilateral edema. But when you have swelling of the legs, it could be a sign of heart failure.”
Edema refers to swelling caused by too much fluid trapped in the body’s tissues, most often in the feet, ankles and legs. It can be caused by medicine, pregnancy
or diseases such as congestive heart failure, kidney disease, venous insufficiency or cirrhosis of the liver.
Secondly, Dr Portela explained what he looks for in the nails. He said: “Next called clubbing, a downward curve of the nail. While the fingertip gets swollen, this could be a sign of heart disease of a heart infection or of lung disease.”
Nail clubbing, also known as digital clubbing or clubbing, is a deformity of the finger or toe nails associated with a number of diseases, mostly of the heart and lungs.
The final sign Dr Portela explained is in the ears. “Lastly is something called Frank’s sign, which is a diagonal crease in the ear lobe. That can be an indicator of heart disease. But further studies have shown it’s probably not that highly correlated and it’s more just to do with age.”
A case study published in the BMJ said that research has shown a “significant association” of Frank’s sign with increased risks of ischaemic heart disease and heart attacks.
