Sarcopenia

Understand sarcopenia and frailty—the modern “Giants of Geriatrics”—and why early recognition matters for older adults. Sarcopenia involves the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and muscle function, while frailty is a clinical condition marked by excessive vulnerability to endogenous and exogenous stressors. These age-related syndromes have attracted significant attention as strong predictors of morbidity, disability, and mortality.

Key benefits

• Clarify two important geriatric syndromes: Explore the distinct characteristics of sarcopenia and frailty and their significance in geriatric medicine and public health.
• Understand differences in prevalence: Consider how the reported prevalence of both syndromes varies across regions and diagnostic tools.
• Recognize associated risk factors: Examine the growing recognition of malnutrition, chronic disease, depression, sleep disorders, tooth loss, and cognitive decline as factors associated with sarcopenia and frailty in older adults.
• Appreciate the value of early intervention: Understand how exercise and nutrition can help mitigate risks, and how early identification and appropriate interventions may support reversal toward a healthier state.
• Connect management with wider benefits: Consider how effective management can benefit older adults and their families while reducing dependence on healthcare and social services.
• Explore assessment and research priorities: Engage with approaches to accurate measurement, assessment, and improvement, alongside research into prevalence, influencing risk factors, and prediction models.

Who this is for

For clinicians, researchers, students, and public health professionals interested in age-related muscle loss, frailty, and older-adult care. It is particularly relevant to readers exploring early identification and intervention, with the aim of reducing disability and hospitalization among older adults.

Research focus

The research topic described welcomes original research articles, reviews, and opinion pieces exploring the current prevalence, influencing risk factors, and prediction models of age-related sarcopenia and frailty. By identifying approaches to accurately measure, assess, and improve these syndromes, it aims to further substantiate their importance in geriatric medicine and public health.

Details

• Author: Gordon S. Lynch
• Edition: 1
• Publisher: Wiley - Blackwell
• Brand / library: Orthopedics Library
• Published date: 2010-11-30
• Pages: 479
• ISBN: 9789048197132, 9048197139

Add Sarcopenia to your professional reading collection and deepen your understanding of these important age-related syndromes.