Which of the following is NOT a commonly described component of frailty?

• A. Weakness
• B. Hypertension
• C. Exhaustion
• D. Weight loss

Answer: (B)

Frailty is commonly described using a specific phenotype that looks for a reduced physiologic reserve reflected in five criteria. Among these, weakness (often measured by grip strength), exhaustion, and unintentional weight loss are direct indicators that the body’s energy, strength, and metabolic reserves are waning. Hypertension, while very common in older adults, is a cardiovascular condition and does not measure this decrease in reserve or vulnerability. It isn’t part of the standard frailty criteria. Some broader approaches to frailty do consider many health problems as contributing deficits, but the classic frailty phenotype does not include hypertension as a component, which is why the correct answer is that this is not a commonly described part of frailty.