[Non alcoholic fatty liver disease: a new risk factor for cardiovascular disease?]

ABSTRACT

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD] is frequently diagnosed in daily practice. This condition is represented by a large spectrum of chronic liver diseases going from pure hepatic steatosis to cirrhosis and its complications, including hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD is usually associated to glucose and lipoproteins metabolism increasing the cardiovascular risk. To review new advances in the knowledge of the pathophysiological links between NAFLD and cardiovascular risk, evaluation of cardiovascular risk in this special situation and the different therapeutics proposed. Systematic review of the literature using medical data bases [Medline] with the following key words non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatic steatosis, cardiovascular risk, metabolic syndrome. We'll report pathophysiological links between NAFLD and cardiovascular risk, propose an evaluation of cardiovascular risk in this special situation and expose a therapeutic strategy. The discovery of a non alcoholic fatty liver disease should lead to a cardiovascular risk evaluation