Capromorelin - New Drug to Prevent Frailty in Old Age?

The American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has recently released a new drug that holds promise to reduce the effects of aging. Capromorelin has been shown to increase levels of human growth hormone in elderly patients. The effects of this increase in HGH include lean muscle gain, improved balance, and improved coordination. Human growth hormone levels typically peak from late childhood to around puberty, when growth is most rapid. From then on, levels decline steadily and then drop off quickly after about age sixty. This decrease is associated with a lack of energy, less powerful immune system, and more rapid 'wear and tear' on the body. Theoretically, bringing HGH levels back up to near-puberty levels could bring back some youthful vigor to an otherwise frail individual. While this may be the case, it is also possible to raise HGH levels naturally through exercise, proper diet, and adequate sleep. For the time being, these may be safer options for healthy people considering a drug to increase their growth hormone production.

Assistive Technology for Older Americans

While this may not be directly related to orthopedic surgery, I feel that I should discuss the current situation of assistive technologies for older adults. This is because older adults are a large (and growing) population that is prone to conditions that sometimes warrant surgery and other times require technological assistance, such as a mobile scooter or a walker. These kinds of technologies can be crucial in maintaining a senior citizen's mobility and independence, but they are not cheap. It can be difficult for an individual to afford these items, or other more expensive technologies like modified bathrooms, and there is limited funding available to help support these cases. According to the Executive Director of the American Society on Aging, Gloria Cavanaugh, the major hurdle is often proving that these devices or home modifications are 'medically necessary.' Healthcare providers are often hesitant to approve funding for assistive technologies, since they claim that they are essentially frivolous. The fact of the matter though, is that these assistive technologies can dramatically improve the quality of life for an older individual by preserving independence and eliminating the need for a personal caretaker. This is a great reason to approve funding, in my opinion. One of the most difficult aspects of aging in America is the dependence that is associated with it. Prolonging the independence of a senior citizen should always be a priority.

Increasing population age = more joint replacements

There's another thing that I should have mentioned in my previous post. According to WebMD, hip replacements are expected to rise 174% in the next 20 years, and knee replacements are expected to rise by as much as 673%. That is an astronomical increase in joint replacement surgeries! This relates back to my previous post, when I talked about the increasingly active lifestyle that today's older generations are living. The knee replacement rates are particularly indicative of this. A total knee replacement is frequently performed on an individual who has been active for a lifetime, and consequently has done damage to the knees. This is unavoidable for many active people. Eventually joints wear out, but luckily we have great replacement technology. Total knee replacements can be expected to last for upwards of twenty years without any significant degradation. Of course, it is always possible for an extremely active and young individual who gets a knee replacement to have a revision later without much hassle.

Changing Population Demographics

One of the most interesting pressures that physicians face today is the issue of an aging population. I decided to look into this phenomenon and I found an interesting site called longevity-science.org that talked about this very issue. According to some scholarly predictions, the world's elderly population is expected to rise from 6.9% of the total population today up to 19% by 2050. That is a striking increase, and one that will surely be felt by the medical profession. Orthopedic surgeons will be seeing more joint replacement patients in the years to come since there will be a greater number of elderly individuals leading increasingly active lifestyles. It almost seems improper to refer to today's elderly population as "elderly," considering how physically capable and full of life many of them are. I think it will be great to watch the progression that will take place in the next fifty years. Eventually it will be commonplace to run into centegenarians jogging in the park or lifting weights in the gym. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to be one of them.