A doctor has issued a warning about a subtle sign on your ear that could indicate heart disease. Cardiologist Aurelio Rojas took to Instagram to alert his followers about ‘Frank’s Sign’, a diagonal crease on the earlobe, which he suggests might be an early sign of cardiovascular issues.
In his social media post, Dr Rojas advised: “Run to look at your ear in the mirror. Frank’s Sign is a possible early warning of heart problems that can appear on the earlobe.
“Find out what it means and how it can help you take care of your health! More than half of the population over 50 years of age have it and usually present risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol that predispose them to heart problems.”
He elaborated in a video: “Did you know that your ear could be giving you a warning about your heart? This diagonal crease in the earlobe is called Frank’s Sign and some studies link it with a higher risk of heart problems, but don’t worry. It’s not a diagnosis in itself because the most important thing is to lead a healthy lifestyle.”
Dr Rojas is not alone in his observations about Frank’s Sign. A study presented at the SEC Cardiovascular Disease Congress in 2014, and reported by El Espanol, indicated that this 45-degree earlobe crease might be associated with an increased risk of heart attack or stroke, reports Surrey Live.
Research conducted by Dr Esteban Lopez found that nearly half of stroke patients had a diagonal earlobe crease, while around 28% of those without a history of stroke had the same characteristic. Dr Lopez noted: “Among subjects with a history of stroke, 45.8% showed this fold, while 28.2% had this fold but did not suffer a stroke. What these results show is that the shape of the earlobe can indicate to the physician at a glance that the person may have cardiovascular disease or multiple risk factors.”
More recent studies have also linked earlobe creases to cardiovascular disease, with one study published in the American Journal of Medicine concluding: “The diagonal earlobe crease is independently associated with higher cardiovascular risk scores, especially when the crease is complete, bilateral, deep, and has accessory creases.”
Heart disease encompasses various conditions, including coronary heart disease, strokes, peripheral arterial disease, and aortic disease. To reduce the risk of heart disease, the NHS recommends quitting smoking, maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in regular exercise, achieving a healthy weight, and limiting alcohol consumption.