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Frailty Is Not a Fatality

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Prevention of Chronic Diseases and Age-Related Disability

Part of the book series: Practical Issues in Geriatrics ((PIG))

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Abstract

Frailty is a condition of extreme vulnerability to poor resolution of homeostasis after endogenous or exogenous stressors, which causes an increased risk of adverse health-related outcomes. Different models have been developed to operationalize frailty and standardize its diagnosis in research setting and clinical practice, but at present there is no agreed gold standard. Frailty is a common condition among older adults. Interestingly, frailty is not a static condition, but rather is a process, and as such it is dynamic and potentially reversible. In its early stages, frailty may be considered a pre-disability condition to target to prevent its progression. An effective intervention against frailty at a population level should consider a life-course approach, including also young and adult individuals with modifiable risk factors. Currently, the gold standard for the management of frailty in clinical practice is the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA). Multiple approaches targeting frailty have been investigated. Strong evidence supports the efficacy of exercise interventions in frail older people to slow down frailty and prevent its negative consequences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geriatria, Accettazione geriatrica e Centro di ricerca per l’invecchiamento, IRCCS-INRCA, Ancona, Italy

    Elisa Zengarini & Antonio Cherubini

Authors
  1. Elisa Zengarini
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  2. Antonio Cherubini
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Correspondence to Antonio Cherubini .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geneva University, Geneva, Switzerland

    Jean-Pierre Michel

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Zengarini, E., Cherubini, A. (2019). Frailty Is Not a Fatality. In: Michel, JP. (eds) Prevention of Chronic Diseases and Age-Related Disability. Practical Issues in Geriatrics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96529-1_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96529-1_6

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-96528-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-96529-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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