The frailty syndrome

Frailty is an important geriatric syndrome with a high prevalence in the community population. It can be seen as a state of extreme vulnerability and loss of resistance to external stressors resulting in an increased risk of several adverse outcomes. Although linked with ageing, disability and co-morbidity, many consider frailty as a distinct clinical and pathophysiological entity. A problem with this concept is the search for a suitable operational definition that can be used in clinical practice. Many definitions exist in literature, but there is no agreement on the best measure. The more popular of these definitions include Fried's model of frailty and the Frailty Index. Identification of frailty is recommended to target interventions and help improve outcomes.