Sign in

or Register now

MyHeartCentral.com

See all of our health sites at www.HealthCentral.com
Sunday, July, 27, 2008

Question
Paul Freeman
05/01/08
Paul Freeman
Category:Heart external fat

External Fat on heart

I have been told by my doctor that it appears that I may have a fat pad on the outside of my heart. It was discovered during a chest x-ray. Could you tell me what this means?  

Answer This
Answers (2)
Allison
Allison
Close
Allison is hsppy

Hi everyone! My name is Alli and I'm the new producer for MyHear...

Friday, May 02, 2008

Hi Paul,

 

Thanks for your question. First, I would definitely advise you to speak to your doctor about this.

 

I'm not sure if this is exactly what you're talking about, but in doing a little research I found an article that talks about “TOFIs” — people who are “thin outside, fat inside.” 

 

From an article on CBS News:


"Doctors are unsure about the exact dangers of internal fat, but some suspect it contributes to the risk of heart disease and diabetes. They theorize that internal fat disrupts the body's communication systems. The fat enveloping internal organs might be sending the body mistaken chemical signals to store fat inside organs like the liver or pancreas. This could ultimately lead to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or heart disease...The good news is that internal fat can be easily burned off through exercise or even by improving your diet. 'Even if you don't see it on your bathroom scale, caloric restriction and physical exercise have an aggressive effect on visceral fat,' said Dr. Bob Ross, an obesity expert at Queen's University in Canada."

 

I hope this helps--let us know what your doctor says. Goodluck!

Donna
Monday, June 30, 2008

The same thing is happening to me. It is large. What did they do? I just found this out last week.

Important:
We hope you find this general health information helpful. Please note however, that this Q&A is meant to support not replace the professional medical advice you receive from your doctor. No information in the Answers above is intended to diagnose or treat any condition. The views expressed in the Answers above belong to the individuals who posted them and do not necessarily reflect the views of The HealthCentral Network. The HealthCentral Network does not review or edit content posted by our community members, but reserves the right to remove any material it deems inappropriate.