Abstract

LLUIS RAMOS, Guido Emilio  and  LLIBRE RODRIGUEZ, Juan de Jesús. Frailty in the older adult: A first appraoch. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2004, vol.20, n.4, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-3038.

The frailty state is a clinical and biological syndrome characterized by a reduction of resistance and of the biological reserves of the older adult to stressing situations as a result of the accumulative waste of the physiological systems, causing higher risk for suffering adverse effects for health, such as. falls, disability, hospitalization, institutionalization and death. The reported prevalence ranged between 7 and 12 % in the population over 65. Most of the authors agree that the most common clinical manifestations are involuntary reduction of body weight, of resistance and of muscle strength, balance and walking disorders and a decrease of physical mobility. Many studies have related the frailty syndrome to biomarkers and reactants of acute stage, inflammation, metabolism and coagulation, in particular: reactive protein C, high levels of coagulation factor VIII and fibrinogen, insulin, glycaemia, lipids and proteins as albumin.

Keywords : Frailty; older adult; disability; comorbidity.