Frailty in patients with chronic respiratory disease: How can we modify it?

Frailty is a multidimensional state characterized by a decrease in physiological reserves and resistance to stressors. Its physical dimension is highly recognized and increases vulnerability for developing greater dependency and/or death. Patients with chronic respiratory diseases have a higher risk of developing frailty and among the risk factors are comorbidities, smoking, low levels of physical activity, exacerbations of their underlying pathology, recurrent hospitalizations, poor nutrition and polypharmacy. Frailty is a dynamic and modifiable process. Timely referral to pulmonary rehabilitation programs is one of the different treatments available. The present article describes fragility in chronic respiratory disease patients, and offers tools to evaluate and modify it.