Fatty liver increases susceptiblity to type 2 diabetes, hypertension and detrimental changes in the blood fat levels. Together, they increase the risk of contracting a cardiovascular disease, such as a coronary artery disease or stroke.
In some cases, fatty liver develops into a liver inflammation. Inflammation of fatty liver can progress to cirrhosis and even to liver failure (or insufficiency). Liver cirrhosis, on the other hand, increases the risk of liver cancer.
Risk assessment for progression of fatty liver disease
A risk calculator and, if necessary, special research are used to discover people with a high risk of progressing liver disease. In type 2 diabetes monitoring, the recommendation is to conduct a risk assessment every other year using the FIB-4 calculator. Increased fibrosis in the liver of at-risk persons can be examined further using a method called elastography.