According to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, even subtle forms of liver disease can directly impact heart health. The study conducted by researchers from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai clarified the relationship between liver disease and heart disease beyond their shared risk factors.

Previously, the American Heart Association (AHA) released a statement stating that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The statement noted that, surprisingly, heart disease is the leading cause of death in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, not the progression of liver disease.

In the study, the researchers compared the FIB-4 scores of the patients diagnosed with a severe form of liver disease with heart abnormalities visible through cardiac MRI scans. They looked at the electronic medical records of 1,668 patients who had low, moderate, or high FIB-4 scores and had taken cardiac MRIs within one year of diagnosis.

On comparing both results, it was seen that elevated FIB-4 scores were associated with abnormalities in heart function and vascular dimension. The researchers found that after adjusting for standard risk factors, 86% of patients had at least one heart abnormality.

(Source: https://theprint.in/health/study-finds-even-early-forms-of-liver-disease-affect-heart-health/1256653/)