Toward an Understanding of Frailty

Medical Writings1 June 1999Toward an Understanding of FrailtyDavid Hamerman, MDDavid Hamerman, MDAlbert Einstein College of Medicine; Bronx, NY 10467 (Hamerman)Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-130-11-199906010-00022 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Health care providers who serve an aging population inherently associate the word frailty with patients whom they perceive as frail. Although frailty is not confined to elderly persons, it is more frequently observed in persons older than 85 years of age (the "oldest old") (1). This is because limitations and diseases associated with aging are an inseparable part of frailty (2-5). As a result, frailty remains more a constellation of many conditions than a discrete clinical entity, and it certainly does not have a precise scientific meaning (6). 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The new gerontology [Editorial]. Science. 1997;278:367. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Bronx, NY 10467 (Hamerman)Acknowledgments: The author thanks Drs. Nir Barzilai and Jomarie Zeleznik for helpful discussions and Dawn Bowen-Jenkins for preparation of the manuscript.Corresponding Author: Dr. David Hamerman, Resnick Gerontology Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 111 East 210th Street, Bronx, NY 10467 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByThe impact of late-career job loss and genetic risk on body mass index: Evidence from variance polygenic scoresEffect of the combination of automated peripheral mechanical stimulation and physical exercise on aerobic functional capacity and cardiac autonomic control in patients with Parkinson's disease: a randomized clinical trial protocolPatient assessment and feasibility of treatment in older patients with cancer: results from the IN-GHO® RegistryThe conceptual and practical definitions of frailty in older adults: a systematic reviewState-of-the-art surgery for sigmoid diverticulitisReview of frailty measurement of older people: Evaluation of the conceptualization, included domains, psychometric properties, and applicabilityThe new older adult participant in American politicsAssociations Between Polypharmacy and Gait Speed According to Cognitive Impairment Status: Cross-Sectional Study in a Japanese Memory ClinicFifteen years change in acute management of hip fracture patients: 1-year mortality calls for improvementsUtility of Frailty Assessment in Urologic Stone Surgery: A Review of the LiteratureSurgical Considerations for Older Adults With Cancer: A Multidimensional, Multiphase Pathway to Improve CareDevelopment of a Motility Frailty Index in Patients with GastroparesisThe effect of frailty on postoperative readmissions, morbidity, and mortality in endometrial cancer surgeryA novel approach for the design of context-aware services for social inclusion and educationMoving towards a better identification and management of frailty in ICU survivorsFrailty: Past, present, and future?Geriatrisches Assessment: Personalisierung des alten TumorpatientenBiological aspects of aging that influence response to anticancer treatmentsOne-year mortality increases four-fold in frail patients undergoing cardiac surgeryFrailtyThe Effect of Aging Physiology on Critical CareMinimally Invasive Aortic Valve Surgery in Octogenarians: Reliable Option or Fallback Solution?Utility of Liver Transplantation Within the Bounds of Non-futilityFrailty as a predictor of future falls in hospitalized patients: A systematic review and meta-analysisValidation of Psoas Muscle Index as a predictor of successful extubation in elderly intensive care patients: a retrospective cohort studyOperationalization of Concepts of Health and DisabilityIntegrating Geriatric Oncology into Clinical Pathways and GuidelinesExercise Interventions in Dialysis PatientsChronic Kidney Disease in the Elderly—Who Has It? 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