Life-course trajectory of frailty and its clinical applications: a narrative review

Abstract

Frailty is a condition indicating a reduced reserve in multiple systems and their disconnections. The whole body system cannot repair or recover by itself and may go into irreversible decline should interventions not be carried out early. This review discusses frailty in terms of the conceptual framework, pathophysiology, measurement and identification, lifecourse trajectory, and clinical application of assessment. It is anticipated that clinical application of the electronic frailty index expands to various specialties beyond geriatric medicine.