Frailty

Frailty is a condition that now can be objectively defined by the Fried criteria. Frail people are at risk for rapid deterioration when exposed to stressful events. The causes of frailty are multifactorial and include sarcopenia, protein energy malnutrition, pain, and various disease processes, such as anemia, diabetes mellitus, depression, and congestive heart failure. At the pathophysiologic level, elevated proinflammatory cytokine, low vitamin D, and low testosterone levels (in men and possibly women) all play a role in the genesis of frailty.