Christina Hanson
FNP-C
Location : Denver, CO, USA
BIO
Christina Hanson is a nurse practitioner in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at South Denver GI, with nearly 20 years of clinical practice. She is a course director and board of trustee for GHAPP. An active researcher with extensive leadership and teaching experience, she is a champion of evidence-based practice, data-driven care delivery, interdisciplinary collaboration, and quality patient care. Christina is committed to amplifying professional development, growth, and contributions of advanced practice.
MASLD-MASH Content Featuring Christina
Webcast: MASLD vs MetALD With Christina Hanson
September 2025
Discover the latest insights on MASLD and MetALD in this educational session from the GHAPP MASLD Community Network. Christina Hanson, FNP-C, walks through a real-world case study to highlight how common metabolic conditions like hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and PCOS intersect with alcohol use to drive liver disease progression. The session explores updated nomenclature replacing NAFLD/NASH, the role of FibroScan and elastography in staging fibrosis, and the importance of screening patients with metabolic risk factors for fatty liver. Learn how alcohol consumption contributes to liver injury, triglyceride elevation, and blood pressure changes, and how objective biomarkers such as PEth testing are transforming diagnosis beyond self-reporting. Christina also reviews lifestyle interventions, dietary strategies like the Mediterranean diet, and current treatment considerations for patients with advanced fibrosis (stage 3), including when to initiate HCC screening. Whether you are a hepatologist, GI specialist, or advanced practice provider, this session provides practical tools for evaluating and managing patients with MASLD, MetALD, and related liver health challenges.
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Webcast: MASLD Pharmacotherapy With Christina Hanson
September 2025
Learn about the latest advances in MASLD and MASH pharmacotherapy in this educational session from the GHAPP MASLD Community Network. Christina Hanson, NP, reviews the evolving landscape of treatment for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and steatohepatitis (MASH), including the critical role of weight loss, cardiovascular risk reduction, and liver-directed therapies. The discussion covers current management strategies such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, bariatric interventions, statins, and lifestyle modification, while also exploring guideline-supported options like vitamin E and pioglitazone. Special attention is given to the first FDA-approved therapy for MASH, Resmetirom, including its mechanism, clinical trial results, safety considerations, and monitoring recommendations. Whether you are a hepatology specialist, primary care provider, endocrinologist, or advanced practice provider, this session highlights practical approaches to managing patients with MASLD and MASH and offers insights into emerging therapies that may shape future clinical practice.
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Webcast: Lifestyle Management With Christina Hanson
July 2025
Join Christina Hanson, FNP-C from South Denver GI, for a practical and in-depth discussion on lifestyle management of MASLD (Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease) and MASH (Metabolic Steatohepatitis). In this GHAPP MASLD/MASH Community Network session, Christina walks through the case of Albert, a 65-year-old patient with obesity, diabetes, and abnormal liver findings—representing a common clinical scenario in primary and specialty care. This session highlights how to apply non-invasive fibrosis assessment tools like FIB-4 and FibroScan, interpret metabolic risk factors, and differentiate patients based on fibrosis staging. Christina discusses how cultural dietary habits, access to care, and social determinants of health impact disease management, and emphasizes the importance of personalized counseling, accountability strategies, and gradual, sustainable changes to diet and exercise. The session also reviews the role of Resmetirom, the first FDA-approved treatment for MASH with F2-F3 fibrosis, and outlines guideline-recommended lifestyle interventions including the Mediterranean diet and combined aerobic/resistance exercise. Learn how to identify, stage, and manage patients with MASLD and MASH in a way that supports long-term adherence and improves liver-related outcomes. Educational support provided by Madrigal Pharmaceuticals.
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Misconceptions About Liver Health
June 2025
In this video, Christina Hanson, FNP-C, from South Denver Gastroenterology, dispels common myths around liver health and highlights a critical shift in how we identify and manage fatty liver disease. With the updated terminology from NAFLD/NASH to MASLD/MASH—Metabolic Dysfunction–Associated Steatotic Liver Disease—Christina explains how the new name more accurately reflects the underlying cardiometabolic drivers of the condition, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. She emphasizes that liver enzyme abnormalities or incidental imaging findings should no longer be the only triggers for evaluation. Instead, clinicians—especially in primary care and endocrinology—should proactively screen high-risk patients using non-invasive tools like FIB-4 to assess for liver fibrosis. With over 50% of patients with type 2 diabetes and up to 90% of those with morbid obesity at risk for coexisting fatty liver, early identification and triage are vital to improving outcomes. This is a must-watch for healthcare providers seeking practical, guideline-driven strategies for detecting MASLD and MASH in everyday clinical practice.
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Pharmacotherapy Review
July 2025
Join Christina Hanson, FNP-C, from South Denver Gastroenterology, as she provides an in-depth overview of the current pharmacologic treatment landscape for Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH). This expert-led session explores the three cornerstones of MASH management—lifestyle and weight loss interventions, cardiovascular risk reduction, and liver-directed therapy—while highlighting the evolving role of GLP-1 receptor agonists and the recent FDA approval of resmetirom, the first medication indicated for adults with MASH and moderate to advanced fibrosis. Christina also discusses clinical trial data from MAESTRO-NASH, reviews historical agents like vitamin E and pioglitazone, and offers practical guidance on patient selection, safety considerations, and monitoring strategies. Whether you’re a GI provider, hepatology specialist, or primary care clinician managing fatty liver disease, this video provides valuable insights into how emerging therapies are shaping the future of MASH treatment.
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Pharmacotherapy for MASH/MASLD: An Overview
June 2025
In this comprehensive episode, Christina Hanson, FNP-C at South Denver GI, provides an in-depth overview of pharmacotherapy for MASLD and MASH, with a focus on the FDA-approved therapy resmetirom (brand name Rezdiffra). Drawing on over 18 years of experience in hepatology and GI care, Christina explains the histologic endpoints used in clinical trials—MASH resolution and fibrosis improvement without worsening disease—and how they guided the approval of resmetirom. She breaks down the drug’s mechanism of action as a selective thyroid hormone receptor beta (THR-β) agonist, which promotes lipid metabolism and reduces liver inflammation without systemic toxicity. Christina reviews key Phase 3 data from the MAESTRO-NASH trial, showing resmetirom’s significant impact on both MASH resolution and fibrosis regression across diverse patient populations. She also outlines criteria for appropriate patient selection (those with stage F2-F3 fibrosis), clinical monitoring strategies, and management of side effects like transient GI discomfort. Christina emphasizes the importance of baseline screening for liver disease, autoimmune conditions, thyroid function, and lipid levels before initiating therapy. She highlights best practices from the 2024 AASLD guidelines for ongoing monitoring and treatment response assessment, including ALT and liver stiffness thresholds that help determine whether to continue or discontinue therapy. This episode is a must-watch for hepatology clinicians looking to implement evidence-based, patient-centered strategies in the management of MASH.
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Management of Lifestyle Modification
January 2025
This video focuses on the comprehensive management of patients with metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), emphasizing lifestyle modifications, dietary adjustments, and exercise strategies. Key topics include the importance of addressing risk factors like diet, exercise habits, and alcohol intake, as well as referrals to medically supervised weight loss clinics or bariatric surgery for advanced cases. The speaker highlights the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, intermittent fasting, and avoiding ultra-processed foods while discussing the role of resistance training to combat sarcopenia and maintain muscle mass. Practical advice and tailored recommendations ensure a holistic approach to managing MASH and improving patient outcomes.
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Third Step of Lifestyle Management
January 2025
This video provides a comprehensive overview of emerging pharmacologic treatments for metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and their tailored applications based on patient profiles. Topics include FDA-approved therapies, drugs in advanced clinical trials (such as semaglutide and lanifibranor), and the potential for combination treatments targeting both steatohepatitis and fibrosis. The speaker emphasizes the importance of patient-specific approaches considering metabolic profiles, obesity, and diabetes status, alongside lifestyle interventions. Additionally, the video discusses the evolving interdisciplinary care model and highlights the exciting progress in non-invasive testing and treatment advancements for F2-F3 fibrosis.
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Approved Medication for MASH/NASH
January 2025
This video provides detailed guidance on selecting and monitoring patients for emerging therapies targeting advanced fibrosis (F2-F3) in NASH. Key topics include contraindications for patients with cirrhosis, considerations for concomitant medications, and dose adjustments for statins. The video outlines ideal candidates based on specific thresholds for VCTE, MRE, ELF scores, and other non-invasive tests while emphasizing the importance of ruling out portal hypertension and other liver diseases. It also reviews a stepwise monitoring approach, focusing on tolerability at three months and efficacy assessments at six and twelve months, with an emphasis on histologic and non-invasive test improvements.
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Types of Diet for the Treatment of MASLD
January 2025
This video explores comprehensive strategies for managing metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), focusing on fibrosis risk stratification, lifestyle modifications, and pharmacologic interventions. Learn about dietary recommendations like the Mediterranean diet, exercise guidelines emphasizing resistance training, and the role of intermittent fasting and processed food avoidance. The video also highlights weight loss targets, diabetes management, and emerging therapies such as GLP-1 receptor agonists and bariatric surgery, all aimed at improving liver health and patient outcomes.
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NITs to Identify High Risk MASH Patients
January 2025
Explore advancements in non-invasive diagnostics and risk stratification for liver fibrosis and MASH. This video highlights tools like FIB-4, transient elastography, and innovative scoring systems (e.g., FAST and Agile) to identify and predict outcomes for high-risk patients. Learn about serum biomarkers, updated guidelines, and the role of lifestyle interventions alongside targeted therapies for managing metabolic risks and advancing care in hepatology.
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