Abstract

SANTIANES-PATINO, Jesús; MENENDEZ-FERNANDEZ, Cristina  and  BERMUDEZ-MENENDEZ-DE-LA-GRANDA, Manuel. Are hospital emergency departments prepared for the care of people with frailty?. Rev. Esp. Salud Publica [online]. 2021, vol.95, perspectivas20.  Epub July 04, 2022. ISSN 2173-9110.

In developed countries, a population aging phenomenon is taking place with a progressive increase in people over 65 years of age. In addition to this increase in chronological age, the concept of frailty is becoming increasingly important, which we can define as a decrease in the physiological reserve and the ability to respond to stressful situations that will favor the appearance of functional deterioration, disability and other complications. Correct identification of this situation will allow us to act early and globally on the patient with the aim of cutting the progression from frailty to dependence.

The increase in life expectancy and the higher prevalence of chronic diseases are two factors that will be related to a progressive increase in visits by older adults to emergency services. These visits will generally be motivated by health problems of greater severity than in the case of younger patients; they will consume more resources in terms of carrying out a greater number of complementary tests, longer hospital stay, hospitalization rate... This will pose a challenge for current hospital emergency services, requiring an adaptation of them both in structure and in intervention strategies to obtain the best possible health results in people with frailty.

Keywords : Emergency department; Ageing; Frailty.

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