[Medicines and frailty in older people. Towards a new nosological entity: A pharmacological frailty?]

Abstract

Frailty is a complex geriatric syndrome linked to the overall decrease of physiological reserves. It could lead to disability and to an increase in mortality. Frailty could have an impact on the effect and on the use of medications. Drugs could also affect the frailty process. Currently, no specific guidelines exist for appropriately prescribing medications to frail older people. The aim of this paper is to explore the body of current knowledge about the relationship between drugs and frailty in older people and to introduce a new nosological entity: pharmacological frailty.

Keywords: Aged; Drug utilization; Drug-related side effects and adverse reactions; Effet indésirable médicamenteux; Fragilité; Frail elderly; Inappropriate prescribing; Personne âgée; Prescription inappropriée; Utilisation des médicaments.