DiabeticFoot

Diabeticfootisaconditionthatdevelopsduetothepoorcirculation,andlossofsensation,inthe
feetofdiabetics.Diabeticfootisthemostcommoncauseforhospitalizationfordiabetics.Itis
currentlyrisinginoccurrences,andduetotheincreaseoflongevityofdiabetics,theriskof
complicationsalsorises.15%ofdiabetics(whichismillionsofpeople)willsufferdiabeticfoot
ulcers,whichexposesthemtotheriskofinfection,gangrene,amputation,anddeath.All
complicationsaddextraburdenonourhealthcaresystem,especiallythecostofsurgeryifthe
riskescalatestoamputationofthefootorleg.Amputatingadiabeticslimbisalsovery
dangerous,thereisincreasedriskofreamputationwithintwoyearsanddeathwithin3years.
85%oftheseamputationsarepreventable.Despitetheincreasedoccurrences,nursinghasyet
toreactandadaptappropriatelyinresponse.Agoalwassetin2010toreducethese
amputationsbyhalfandincreasefootexaminationsby75%,andhasyettobemet.

Nursingimplicationsinvolvethenursesrolewithdiabetics.Educationandteachingarethemost
importantandthebestwaytoimproveuponthediabeticshealth.Itismucheasiertoprevent
thantreat,solettingaclientknowthebestwaytocareforthemselvescansolvealotof
problems.Thebestwaytodothisistoproperlymaintainandmonitortheirbloodglucoselevels.
Examinationandscreeningarethenextstep,toproperlyensureallcomplicationsarecaught,
andasearlyaspossible.Foottreatmentiscaringforthefeettoensuretheirhealth,andtreating
andhealinganywoundsorsoresthatmayarise,whichtheclientshouldalsobetaughtabout,
butgenerallylefttothosewithpropertraining.Lastlyisrehabilitation,forwhenaclientsuffersa
complicationsandrecoveryhasseveralsteps,especiallywhenanamputationisinvolveddueto
thegreatlyincreasedrisks.

Citation

Aalaa,M.(2012).Sroleindiabeticfootpreventionandcareareview.JournalofDiabetes&
MetabolicDisorders.RetrievedOctober26,2014,from
http://www.jdmdonline.com/content/11/1/24