NAFLD is a predictor of high risk of development and a co-factor in the progression of cardiovascular diseases

Abstract

To date, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver pathology and already at the stage of steatosis causes a high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Convincing evidence has been obtained that CVD is the most common cause of death in patients with NAFLD. Common risk factors (insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia, chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus) and similar pathophysiological mechanisms (endothelial dysfunction, changes in lipid metabolism, systemic inflammation, plaque formation/instability, oxidative stress) of NAFLD and CVD, allow us to consider NAFLD not only as a key risk factor for the development of CVD, but also as a co-factor in the progression of cardiac pathology. The progression of NAFLD itself leads to a more severe course of CVD.