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Health & Fitness

What Aging Signs Could Really Mean

While natural evidence of aging seems harmless, a multiyear study suggests that looking old might actually indicate heart issues.

The following article is by Dr. David J. Jones, founder of Principal Medical Group in McLean, Va.

The aging process brings several physical changes to the human body. It’s common to find that as people grow older, hair thins, skin wrinkles and the overall body weakens. But, while natural evidence of aging seems harmless, a multiyear study recently published by The Copenhagen City Heart Study suggests that looking old might actually indicate heart issues. 

The study followed nearly 11,000 men and women, and it found that physical aging signs like a receding hairline, baldness, earlobe creases and yellow deposits around the eyelid are all indicators of risk for heart disease or attacks. Though seemingly unrelated, these aging markers can result from internal bodily changes – such as growling levels of testosterone or cholesterol – which are common contributors to heart trouble.

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The study also determined that these signs of heart trouble may indicate risk on an individual basis. What this means is that if a person exhibits more than one of these features, their risk of heart problems may be increased.

The findings of this study are so impactful that physicians are now seeing the importance of paying attention to physical details in their regular check-up routines, primarily with patients who are susceptible to heart disease. While primary care physicians examine traditional contributors to heart problems, such as exercise habits or family history, there needs to be a stronger focus on the face in front of them as well. Principal Medical Group limits its patient pool to ensure that it can spend quality, one-on-one time with patients and identify the physical signs that result from heart changes.

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For local patients concerned about their health, PMG offers comprehensive preventive care services that can help them recognize evidence of heart disease early on. In addition, PMG provides personalized executive physicals that allow physicians to detect any physical signs that may be a result of internal problems. Contact us to schedule an attentive physical today.

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