Frailty in Patients With Valve Disease: How to Assess?

Introduction

Valvular heart disease contributes to an important portion of hospital admissions. It can progress to heart failure and death, and it ranks eighth among the causes of mortality due to cardiovascular diseases in Brazil. From the moment that a valve disease becomes anatomically important and has clinical repercussions, only interventional treatment (conventional surgery or transcatheter technique) is able to alter the natural course of the disease.^, The choice of intervention leads to the need for individualized evaluation of the patient, exposing associated clinical conditions that may impact the final result, such as frailty.^,

Frailty, as a clinical syndrome, is characterized by decreased physiological reserve and reduced capacity after a stressor event, causing vulnerability to diseases. It is related to decreased muscle strength, resistance, and functionality, resulting in greater dependence for daily activities and increased mortality. Some commonly associated conditions include sarcopenia, malnutrition, and hormonal disorders.

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