Electrocardiographic changes in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a major public health problem worldwide. NAFLD is the most common chronic liver disease in developed countries and is estimated to affect 25 to 30 % of the adult population. Currently, NAFLD is considered as a multisystem disease that affects not only the liver, but also the cardiovascular system. Ultimately, these changes may be responsible for the increased cardiac morbidity and mortality associated with NAFLD. Consistent with this finding, and based on the fact that cardiovascular disease (CVD) complications often determine outcomes in patients with NAFLD, the clinical guidelines of the Russian Scientific Liver Society and the Russian Gastroenterological Association, as well as the European Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management of NAFLD recommend that a cardiovascular risk assessment should be performed in all NAFLD patients.