A simple walking speed measurement over a 20-foot distance is an invaluable guide to
physiologic age as part of individualized decision making about when to stop cancer screening in elderly patients, according to Jeff Wallace, MD, professor of geriatric medicine at the University of Colorado at Denver.
She adds that this study also highlights the difference between chronologic and
physiologic age.
Physiologic age is the age we can do something about.
This is compounded by the fact that inmates often lack adequate health care before incarceration, which can mean their
physiologic age is 10 to 15 years older than their chronologic age.
Medical terminology expresses this difference with the concepts of biologic age and physiologic age.
These studies focus on physiologic age and the new treatment possibilities it entails, as well as another important aspect of good medical care: candid physician-patient communication.
Another 2006 article also emphasizes physiologic age coupled with the need for informed patient decision-making.
We have to look at
physiologic age as well as chronologic age," Dr.
New tests are "desperately needed" to determine an elderly patient's
physiologic age so that her doctor can make wise recommendations regarding surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, Carlson says.
The physician must also understand the difference between disease and aging, and know how to evaluate
physiologic age.
I think the bottom line here is, we have to look at
physiologic age as well as chronologic age," Dr.
Many of these offenders age 55 and older have
physiologic ages that are at least 10 years older than their chronologic ages, which has placed tremendous pressure on correctional health care budgets.
