Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiovascular Disease: Has the Time Come for Cardiologists to Be Hepatologists?

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is prevalent in people with the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes and is present in up to one-third of the general population. Evidence is now accumulating that NAFLD is associated with obesity and diabetes and may serve as a predictor of cardiovascular...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mohamed H. Ahmed, Salma Barakat, Ahmed O. Almobarak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:Journal of Obesity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/483135
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850237359746973696
author Mohamed H. Ahmed
Salma Barakat
Ahmed O. Almobarak
author_facet Mohamed H. Ahmed
Salma Barakat
Ahmed O. Almobarak
author_sort Mohamed H. Ahmed
collection DOAJ
description Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is prevalent in people with the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes and is present in up to one-third of the general population. Evidence is now accumulating that NAFLD is associated with obesity and diabetes and may serve as a predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The possible mechanisms linking NAFLD and CVD include inflammation and oxidative stress, hyperlipidaemia, insulin resistance, and direct impact of NAFLD on coronary arteries and left ventricular dysfunction. In addition, several studies suggest that NAFLD is associated with high risk of CVD and atherosclerosis such as carotid artery wall thickness and lower endothelial flow-mediated vasodilation independently of classical risk factors and components of the metabolic syndrome. It is not yet clear how treatment of NAFLD will modulate the risk of CVD. Furthermore, studies are urgently needed to establish (i) the pathophysiology of CVD with NAFLD and (ii) the benefit of early diagnosis and treatment of CVD in patients with NAFLD. In the absence of biochemical markers, it is crucial that screening and surveillance strategies are adopted in clinical practice in the growing number of patients with NAFLD and at risk of developing CVD. Importantly, the current evidence suggest that statins are safe and effective treatment for CVD in individuals with NAFLD.
format Article
id doaj-art-021f3b62236b43049f9407df108d0308
institution OA Journals
issn 2090-0708
2090-0716
language English
publishDate 2012-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Journal of Obesity
spelling doaj-art-021f3b62236b43049f9407df108d03082025-08-20T02:01:46ZengWileyJournal of Obesity2090-07082090-07162012-01-01201210.1155/2012/483135483135Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiovascular Disease: Has the Time Come for Cardiologists to Be Hepatologists?Mohamed H. Ahmed0Salma Barakat1Ahmed O. Almobarak2Department of Medicine, Wexham Park Hospital, Berkshire, Slough, UKNational Center for GI & Liver Diseases, Ibn Sina Hospital, Ministry of Health, Khartoum, SudanDepartment of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Khartoum, SudanNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is prevalent in people with the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes and is present in up to one-third of the general population. Evidence is now accumulating that NAFLD is associated with obesity and diabetes and may serve as a predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The possible mechanisms linking NAFLD and CVD include inflammation and oxidative stress, hyperlipidaemia, insulin resistance, and direct impact of NAFLD on coronary arteries and left ventricular dysfunction. In addition, several studies suggest that NAFLD is associated with high risk of CVD and atherosclerosis such as carotid artery wall thickness and lower endothelial flow-mediated vasodilation independently of classical risk factors and components of the metabolic syndrome. It is not yet clear how treatment of NAFLD will modulate the risk of CVD. Furthermore, studies are urgently needed to establish (i) the pathophysiology of CVD with NAFLD and (ii) the benefit of early diagnosis and treatment of CVD in patients with NAFLD. In the absence of biochemical markers, it is crucial that screening and surveillance strategies are adopted in clinical practice in the growing number of patients with NAFLD and at risk of developing CVD. Importantly, the current evidence suggest that statins are safe and effective treatment for CVD in individuals with NAFLD.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/483135
spellingShingle Mohamed H. Ahmed
Salma Barakat
Ahmed O. Almobarak
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiovascular Disease: Has the Time Come for Cardiologists to Be Hepatologists?
Journal of Obesity
title Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiovascular Disease: Has the Time Come for Cardiologists to Be Hepatologists?
title_full Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiovascular Disease: Has the Time Come for Cardiologists to Be Hepatologists?
title_fullStr Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiovascular Disease: Has the Time Come for Cardiologists to Be Hepatologists?
title_full_unstemmed Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiovascular Disease: Has the Time Come for Cardiologists to Be Hepatologists?
title_short Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiovascular Disease: Has the Time Come for Cardiologists to Be Hepatologists?
title_sort nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease has the time come for cardiologists to be hepatologists
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/483135
work_keys_str_mv AT mohamedhahmed nonalcoholicfattyliverdiseaseandcardiovasculardiseasehasthetimecomeforcardiologiststobehepatologists
AT salmabarakat nonalcoholicfattyliverdiseaseandcardiovasculardiseasehasthetimecomeforcardiologiststobehepatologists
AT ahmedoalmobarak nonalcoholicfattyliverdiseaseandcardiovasculardiseasehasthetimecomeforcardiologiststobehepatologists