Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cardiovascular risks: A review

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease. NAFLD may be associated with concomitant metabolic disorders (obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia) and is often considered a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. In addition to hepatic morbidity and mortality, NAFLD is closely associated with asymptomatic and overt cardiovascular disease (CVD), leading to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and the more severe the hepatic disorder, the higher the risk. This review describes the main pathophysiological mechanisms linking NAFLD and CVD, discusses the role of NAFLD as a CVD risk factor, and addresses non-drug and drug therapies for NAFLD in the context of cardiovascular risk reduction. NAFLD makes patients candidates for more intensive therapeutic intervention to reduce hepatic and cardiovascular risks. Lifestyle modifications, including weight loss, increased physical activity, and nutritional adjustment, form the basis of NAFLD treatment. Correction of cardiovascular risk factors includes statins, antihypertensive agents, preferably renin-angiotensin system blockers. Ursodeoxycholic acid has therapeutic potential for beneficial effects on hepatic disorders and reducing cardiovascular risk.