1. Preventing foot complications in people with diabetes mellitus
- Author
-
Dan Howarth
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Referral ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Type 2 diabetes ,Amputation, Surgical ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Risk Factors ,Diabetes mellitus ,Diabetes Mellitus ,medicine ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Intensive care medicine ,Referral and Consultation ,Type 1 diabetes ,030504 nursing ,business.industry ,General Medicine ,medicine.disease ,Diabetic foot ,Diabetic Foot ,Amputation ,0305 other medical science ,business ,Foot (unit) ,Patient education - Abstract
'Diabetic foot' is a term used to describe a group of syndromes in which neuropathy and/or ischaemia lead to tissue breakdown and reduced resistance to infection in a patient with diabetes mellitus. Foot ulceration is a serious and potentially limb-threatening complication of diabetes that can lead to pain, tissue necrosis and amputation, and may significantly affect an individual's well-being and mobility. Foot complications also have wider economic implications for healthcare services. Therefore, it is important to reduce the risk of foot complications through regular foot assessments and providing patient education and appropriate referral to specialist services. This article discusses foot complications in people with diabetes, outlining the causes, signs and symptoms, and associated risk factors. It also outlines the assessment and prevention measures that patients and healthcare practitioners can take to reduce the risk of foot complications.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF