Assessment and Management of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

ABSTRACT

@#Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the commonest chronic liver disease in the world. Overall improvement in public health, active screening of blood products, universal vaccination of hepatitis B have led to drop in incidence of hepatitis B and C worldwide. NAFLD is strongly associated with metabolic syndrome. With rise in overweight status and obesity worldwide, it is not surprising that NAFLD is on the rise. Diagnosis of NAFLD requires confirmation of fatty infiltration in liver, as well as liver damage like elevated liver enzymes and presence of fibrosis. Currently best treatment for NAFLD is weight loss, and the proven method would be dieting with regular exercises. Vitamin E and pioglitazoles are promising medications for treating NAFLD, but each has their shortcoming. Until more studies are conducted, lifestyle modification remains the only reliable way to treat NAFLD. Family physicians also ought to look out for cardiovascular diseases, as well as be vigilant in cancer screening, as NAFLD is associated with higher risks of ischemic heart disease and cancer.