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Clinical
Quick Reference Guide
Recommendations for Practice: Prevention & Treatment of Diabetic
Foot Ulcers
- Take a careful history to determine general health, diabetic control,
and complications.
- Take steps to ensure that the patient is aware of the risks to feet
associated with diabetes.
- People with diabetes (PWD) and health care professionals should recognize
that loss of protective sensation (LOPS) is the greatest risk factor
for the development of plantar ulcers.
- Classify PWD into a risk category to allow co-ordination of treatment
and follow-up. Recognize that adequate vascular supply must be determined
for healability.
- Provide pressure offloading if LOPS is present.
- Provide access to appropriate foot-care teaching and professional
care as indicated by patient need and by risk category.
- Classify plantar ulcerations according to a category.
- Provide an optimum wound environment (debridement, moisture balance,
infection control). If healability is not established, moist interactive
healing and aggressive debridement is not recommended. If delayed healing
occurs despite best clinical practices, biological agents may be useful
stimulators for healing.
- Assess and treat for infection.
- Identify and modify related cofactors.
- Establish and empower a team to work with PWD.
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