It?s time to focus on decreasing cardiovascular mortality in NAFLD population: potential use of statins and PCSK9 inhibitors.

Abstract

With the alarming rise in prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the world, there is an increasing need to recognize the strong association between NAFLD and cardiovascular disease (CVD). NAFLD is dynamically involved in the pathogenesis of CVD through the processes that include increased oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, accelerated progression of atherosclerosis, and irregular fatty acid, glucose, and lipoprotein metabolism. By reviewing and understanding the mechanisms, the aim of this review is to introduce the association between NAFLD and CVD to health care providers and the importance of statin therapy and mortality benefits. More importantly, we discuss the role of statins as a treatment strategy and possible future directions.