The cardiovascular link to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a critical analysis.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in Western countries and can progress from simple steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and finally to liver cirrhosis. NAFLD is considered to be the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome because both share common features, which implicates a role of NAFLD in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The diagnosis of NAFLD deserves special attention in clinical practice for cardiovascular risk screening and surveillance strategies to allow for early targeted intervention in selected individuals at risk of future cardiovascular events.