Sanjiv Chopra, MBBS, MACP
Marshall Wolf Master Clinician Educator
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Saturday, November 21, 2021
10:20 am - 10:55 am
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: NAFLD - The Burgeoning Epidemic
Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent form of chronic liver disease in the Untied States. It encompasses the spectrum from macrovesicular fat droplet accumulation (fatty liver) to fat accumulation together with inflammation and varying degrees of fibrosis (NASH) to cirrhosis. Patients with cirrhosis are subject to myriad complications including the development of primary liver cancer and the need for liver transplantation.
NAFLD afflicts children and adults: an estimated 100 million Americans. Most but not all have the Metabolic Syndrome. The severity of the degree of fibrosis can be ascertained by non invasive means, notably the Fibroscan.
There are more than 250 clinical trials ongoing addressing different aspects of NAFLD in the US. The cornerstone of treatment is weight loss. Patients should be vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B if susceptible. Patients with NAFLD who drink coffee have the least amount of fibrosis. Statins are safe to use in patients with NASH. Bariatric surgery can result in significant improvement in liver histology. Including reversal of early cirrhosis.
Dr. Sanjiv Chopra is a Professor of Medicine and served as a Faculty Dean for Continuing Medical Education (CME) at Harvard Medical School for 12 years. He serves as a Marshall Wolf Master Clinician Educator Brigham and Women's Hospital and co-directs the Division of CME at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Dr. Chopra has more than 160 publications and ten books to his credit. Dr. Chopra is Editor-in-Chief of the Hepatology Section of UpToDate, the most widely used electronic textbook in the world subscribed to by more than 1.2 million physicians in 195 countries.
He has been elected as a Member of the American College of Physicians and to the Royal College of Physicians. Dr. Chopra is also the author of 10+ books, including a New York Times best-seller.
He is a sought after inspirational speaker across the United States and abroad, addressing diverse audiences on topics related to medicine, leadership, happiness, and living with purpose.