September 15, 2011 
Yellow fat deposits on the eyelids may be an early sign of heart disease…
Study involving nearly 13,000 people showed that those who have deposits known as xanthelasma, are more likely to have a heart attack or die in the next 10 years.
These buildups of cholesterol are soft and do not cause pain. They do not cause any interference with vision, and people usually have them removed them by a dermatologist for cosmetic reasons. However, it seems that those people who have them should go see another specialist – a cardiologist, according to British Medical Journal.
The biggest link between the buildup of fat and heart problems was in men aged 70 to 79. Those who had xanthelasma, had a 12 percent greater risk of heart attack than others of the same age group. Among women in this age group the risk was accounted for eight per cent, Professor Anne Tybjaerg-Hansen, of the University of Copenhagen, wrote in the report.
What is xanthelasma?
Xanthelasma is a painless yellowish flat protrusion on the medial parts of the eyelid. It was built from clusters of lipoidal
cells. The appearance of xanthelasma is associated with hyperlipaemia. In addition to the eyelids, xanthelasma occurs over the upper thighs and the stomach lining. In more than half of the people, this phenomenon occurs in conjunction with increased levels of cholesterol.
Taken from: www.net.hr