Abnormal LFTs and non-alcoholic liver disease
Did you know that according to the British Liver Trust, up to 20% of the general population has non-alcoholic liver disease (‘fatty liver disease’) and the prevalence is predicted to rise over the coming years. Morbidity associated with this can be significant, with a proportion of patients with fatty liver disease developing fibrosis of the liver as the disease progresses. Diagnosing fatty liver disease and identifying those at risk of progression to fibrosis is therefore important. In this episode I speak to Dr Helen Jarvis, a GP with a specialist interest in liver disease. We discuss an approach to the patient with abnormal LFTs, and we look at the common causes of abnormal LFTs, with a particular focus on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Helen demystifies the commonly used tests for assessing for fibrosis in fatty liver disease, and how we can empower our nursing teams to assess for fatty liver disease when abnormal LFTs are identified at chronic disease reviews.
