Sarcopenia

Alfonso J. Cruz-Jentoft · John E. Morley

Jul 2012 · John Wiley & Sons

About this ebook

Sarcopenia is a major therapeutic challenge and a public health priority in both the US and Europe. More than two decades after the word was first used to define a distinct clinical condition, the definition of sarcopenia remains open for discussion,nd its clinical relevance is still not fully understood. This book provides some answers. It is a valuable addition to the existing literature, providing a one-stop shop for state-of-the-art information on a topic of particular relevance for geriatricians and all those who care for the older population.

Sarcopenia has serious health consequences of sarcopenia in terms of frailty, disability, morbidity, and mortality. Identifying high risk groups of older people is straightforward, but making a diagnosis is more difficult. Having addressed the definition of sarcopenia the book therefore goes on to discuss current open questions that concern the clinical management of the condition. Chapters cover nosology, pathophysiology, clinical identification, and treatment: for example, is sarcopenia a normal part of the ageing process? When does it become a disease state? Is it only a morphologic or functional abnormality, or is it an age-related disease? Epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of sarcopenia are covered, as well as possible methods of prevention and treatment options.

• Defines and explains the clinical relevance of sarcopenia
• Covers all recent scientific evidence
• Discusses treatment options
• Considers ways of prevention

Written by experts in the field from both the US and Europe, this book will be of practical interest to geriatricians, clinicians and professionals working in nursing homes, nutrition and sport medicine. It is also a valuable and comprehensive reference work for professionals, post-graduates and researchers on age-related diseases, disability, nutrition and geriatric medicine.

About the author

Dr. Alfonso J. Cruz Jentoft is a specialist in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. He currently leads the Geriatric Department of the Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal and of the Clínica Ruber, both in Madrid, Spain. He is Past President of the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS) and is now member of its Academic Board. He has also served as Secretary and Board Member of the Sociedad Española de Geriatría y Gerontología. He represents Spain in the Council of the International Association of Geriatrics and Gerontology (IAGG).
Dr. Cruz-Jentoft is associate editor of the journal European Geriatric Medicine, and member of the editorial board of other leading geriatric European journals. He is author of La vida empieza a los cincuenta (Life starts at fifty, Temas de Hoy) and La vejez positiva (Positive ageing, Esfera de los libros), and editor or co-author of many medical textbooks and more than 100 peer-reviewed articles. His present areas of active research include sarcopenia and nutrition in older people, geriatric pharmacotherapy, Alzheimer’s disease and geriatric assessment.

Dr. John E. Morley, known internationally as a gerontological researcher, clinician, and educator, became the Director of the Division of Geriatric Medicine and the Dammert Professor of Gerontology. In addition to extensive personal scientific achievements, Dr. Morley has directed the clinical training programs in both endocrinology and geriatrics and supervised research activities ranging from basic biomedical investigation to epidemiology and health services research. He is the editor of the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, and recipient of the Ipsen Foundation of Longevity Award in 2001, the American Geriatrics Society's Lascher/Manning Award for Lifetime Achievement in Geriatrics in 2002, and the Gerontological Society of America's Freeman Award in 2004. He has developed a number of educational games and has a special interest in continuous quality improvement (CQI).