Open AccessNAFLD in the Elderly
Author(s) -
Saleh A. Alqahtani,
Jörn M. Schattenberg
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
clinical interventions in aging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.184
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1178-1998
pISSN - 1176-9092
DOI - 10.2147/cia.s295524
Subject(s) - medicine , fatty liver , steatohepatitis , disease , obesity , diabetes mellitus , hyperlipidemia , population , psychological intervention , gerontology , population ageing , environmental health , endocrinology , psychiatry
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an increasingly prevalent disease globally. Current estimates are that 24% of the adult population, thus, one billion individuals worldwide, are affected. Interestingly, the prevalence of fatty liver seems to peak between 40─50 years of age in males and 60─69 years in females, often slightly decreasing in older (>70 years) cohorts. Furthermore, several risk factors for NAFLD development, such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity are higher in older adults. The diagnosis and management strategies in older adults are sometimes challenging, and certain age-specific factors have to be taken into account by healthcare professionals. In this review, we provide an overview of considerations relevant to the management and diagnosis of NAFLD in older adults (age >65 years) and discuss the types of pharmacological interventions available for the management of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in the aging population.