The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases adopted new naming conventions for fatty liver disease and its associated conditions. The name changes aim to promote more inclusive and judgment-free care for people with liver disease.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD, is a type of fatty liver disease that affects 1 in 4 people worldwide, including up to 100 million Americans. It occurs when too much fat builds up in the liver. Although people with MASLD don’t have liver damage (at least not yet), MASLD is associated with higher-than-average rates of heart disease. Since heart disease is already the number one killer of both men and women in the United States, it’s smart for people diagnosed with MASLD to take steps to reduce their heart disease risk factors.
What research supports the connection between MASLD and heart disease?
MASLD and heart disease have several common risk factors – and people with MASLD have a higher risk of heart disease than a person who has the same risk factors but no MASLD. This means that having MASLD raises heart disease risk by itself. Risk factors to watch for include metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, high triglyceride levels, and increased fat around the midsection), type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and obesity.
Having MASLD also correlates with an increased risk of heart failure, a chronic condition that occurs when the heart cannot pump blood well enough to meet the body’s needs. A large study found that people with MASLD were 3.5 times more likely to have heart failure than people of the same age, race, and gender who did not have MASLD.
“The connection between MASLD and heart disease seems to be a stronger connection than one would expect. We are just beginning to understand the physiology behind the connection,” said John Smith, MD, gastroenterologist and fatty liver disease specialist at Capital Digestive Care.
What should people with MASLD do next?
Early identification is key. The sooner people get an MASLD diagnosis, the sooner they can take action to reduce their risk of heart disease, including coronary artery disease and heart failure. They can also take advantage of screening and monitoring technologies, many of which are noninvasive, to keep an eye on their liver health.
If you have been diagnosed with MASLD, talk with your doctor about what you can do to keep your heart healthy as well as your liver or schedule an appointment with one of our liver specialists.