Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University have conducted studies to determine a possible link between liver and heart health.
Liver disease is slowly becoming a common ailment in America, with the most common cause being a non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is caused by a fat build-up in and around the liver, which causes damage to the liver.
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Lead researcher Mohammad Siddiqui explained, “Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is often missed in primary care, so by the time patients get the appropriate subspecialty referral, they have usually developed advanced stages of the disease. We are doing the research that informs eventual guidelines for the best evidence-based care.”
The researchers looked at patients suspected to have liver damage and who were referred to VCU to undergo a liver biopsy.
The study involved 35 participants with NAFLD but without heart failure. The patients received echocardiograms and stress echocardiograms, while the researchers monitored their heart function as they exercised on a treadmill.
This is the first study of its kind to include liver biopsies and exercise capacity assessments along with questionnaires. The questionnaires were beneficial in obtaining insight on how the patients felt.
The researchers found that patients with more aggressive liver disease had limited exercise capacity and as liver scarring progressed, their exercise capacity diminished.
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The findings indicate that lack of exercise capacity increases a patient’s risk of heart failure, thus suggesting patients with liver disease are at a higher risk of a heart-related condition.
It’s essential that if a patient’s ability to exercise is limited as a result of poor liver function that they partake in other heart-healthy habits to reduce their risk of heart failure.
Also read:
- NAFLD diet plan: Dietary guidelines for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- 6 signs that your liver is in trouble
- Yoga for heart health: Yoga poses to reduce the risk of heart disease
Mohan Garikiparithi got his degree in medicine from Osmania University (University of Health Sciences). He practiced clinical medicine for over a decade before he shifted his focus to the field of health communications. During his active practice he served as the head of the Dept. of Microbiology in a diagnostic centre in India. On a three-year communications program in Germany, Mohan developed a keen interest in German Medicine (Homoeopathy), and other alternative systems of medicine. He now advocates treating different medical conditions without the use of traditional drugs. An ardent squash player, Mohan believes in the importance of fitness and wellness.
