Reviews in Clinical Gerontology

Table of Contents - 2007 - Volume 17, Issue 03  

Clinical geriatrics

Frailty–a clinical overview

Ahmed F Jaafara1 c1, Robert Heycocka2 and James Georgea3

a1 Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon-Tyne, UK

a2 South Tyneside General Hospital, South Shields, UK

a3 Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, UK

Frailty as a concept has been around in medical practice for many years but has only relatively recently been established as a medical syndrome. Although frailty is not synonymous with chronological age, it is recognized to be more common as people get older. Frailty is independently associated with increasing dependency, hospital admissions and morbidity and mortality. As populations age, frailty will become more of a challenge to health care systems. It is important that health care professionals, especially geriatricians, are aware of this emerging syndrome and its potential adverse outcomes, as well as measures to reverse and slow its progress. The aim of this review is to discuss the definition, identification and potential treatment options for frailty, most relevant to the practising clinician.

Correspondence:

c1 Address for correspondence: A Jaafar, Elderly Care Department, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 4LP, UK.