title: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and risk of cardiovascular disease.
abstract: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the leading cause of chronic liver diseases worldwide, causing considerable liver-related mortality and morbidity. During the past decade, it has also become increasingly evident that NAFLD is a multisystem disease that affects many extra-hepatic organ systems, including the heart and the vascular system. In this updated clinical review, we discuss the rapidly expanding body of clinical and epidemiological evidence that supports a strong association of NAFLD with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and other functional and structural myocardial abnormalities. We also discuss some recently published data that correlate NAFLD due to specific genetic polymorphisms with the risk of CVDs. Finally, we briefly examine the assessment tools for estimating the global CVD risk in patients with NAFLD as well as the conventional and the more innovative pharmacological approaches for the treatment of CVD risk in this group of patients.
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Liver Clinic and Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, NOCSAE, Baggiovara, Azienda USL and University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Amedeo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lonardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Molecular Hepatology, Institute of Medical Research A Lanari-IDIM, University of Buenos Aires-National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sookoian
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Biology of Complex Diseases, Institute of Medical Research A Lanari-IDIM, University of Buenos Aires-National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Carlos J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Pirola
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata of Verona, Verona, Italy. Electronic address: giovanni.targher@univr.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Targher
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology*; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: CVD; Cardiovascular risk; NAFLD