With the nationwide increase in obesity, we are seeing not only an increase in Type 2 diabetes, but an increase in NAFLD: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. According to the American Liver Foundation: 

• About 100 million individuals in the United States are estimated to have NAFLD.

• NAFLD is the most common form of liver disease in children and has more than doubled over the past 20 years.

As with diabetes, NAFLD carries an increased likelihood of Peripheral Arterial Disease, or PAD for short. PAD, along with NAFLD or diabetes, will dramatically increase the risk of death or severe cardiovascular events, like a stroke, heart attack, or many other severe medical complications.

When a person is overweight and develops fatty liver, his or her healthy liver tissue will be replaced with unhealthy fat cells. The eradication of healthy liver cells coupled with the accumulation of fat cells in the liver can result in liver fibrous—which is scarring of the liver tissue. Fibrous liver tissue can ultimately lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure.

If you have PAD and NAFLD, the risk of developing unhealthy and dangerous fibrous tissue is greatly multiplied. This means there is a time clock on your health to get screened for PAD and, if applicable, treated. This combination will accelerate the fatty liver disease and lead to disastrous complications.

Knowledge is power. If you suffer from NAFLD, make sure you are being monitored for complications such as PAD. Talk to your doctor about the NASH diet or ways that you can reduce your weight. Make sure that your Primary Care Physician uses a multidisciplinary approach in managing your disease process with hepatic specialists and vascular surgeons who specialize in PAD, like Dr. David Nabi.

Prevention and screening are the key to living your best life and preventing serious complications from these types of diseases. For more information on NAFLD and PAD, bookmark NewportVascular.com.