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. 2017 Jul 15;2(3):24.
doi: 10.3390/geriatrics2030024.

Stroke in Frail Older People

David G Smithard  1   2
Affiliations

Stroke in Frail Older People

David G Smithard. Geriatrics (Basel). .

Abstract

The population is ageing, with the greatest proportional increase in those >80 years of age. Many of these people will be frail and at risk of stroke. Research has shown that the very old have much to benefit from hyperacute stroke intervention, but at the same time they suffer increased mortality. Their outcome following stroke and intervention is more often predicted by the presence of frailty rather than age alone. Intervention both in primary prevention and hyperacute stroke management needs to allow for preexisting morbidity and frailty in deciding what is and what is not appropriate, rather than an arbitrary decision on age. Frail older people are more likely to develop delirium and dysphagia combined with poor mouthcare and die, yet all of these issues are managed badly. An increased awareness of these complications of stroke in the frail older person is necessary.

Keywords: acute; complications; ethics; frailty; old age; stroke.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author declares no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Changing age distribution, from the United Nations Population Division No 2012/4 December 2012. www.UNpopulation.org.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic representation of risk vs. benefit in hyperacute stroke treatment in frail older adults.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The interplay between age, frailty, comorbidity and stroke on outcome.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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