November 11, 2016
Check out these best practices for trimming your diabetic patient’s toenails to help prevent foot ulceration. Did you know that a whopping 10-25% percent of all patients with diabetes ultimately develop a foot ulcer – a diagnosis that brings a five-year mortality rate of nearly 50%? Consistent foot care, such as regular screenings, footwear assessment […]
July 29, 2016
Five clinical tests for diagnosing loss of protective sensation in the diabetic foot, plus tips on inflammation assessment. How serious are diabetic foot ulcers? The statistics are sobering: It is estimated that between 10 and 25% of patients with diabetes will develop a foot ulcer in their lifetime. Diabetic foot ulcers precede 84% of all lower […]
April 29, 2016
When it comes to diabetic wound care, footwear matters – and proper diabetic patient shoe assessment is key. Wound clinicians know how devastating foot amputations are for diabetic patients. But what you might not know is that a whopping 50% of diabetic foot amputations are a direct result of patients wearing improper footwear. Surprised? Unfortunately, […]
March 11, 2016
Detecting neuropathy in the diabetic foot is crucial for patient care, which is why the 10-step monofilament test is a must when it comes to injury and ulceration prevention. Healing patients and helping them get on the road to recovery are always at the top of any wound clinician’s list. We are always on alert […]
January 14, 2016
Diabetic wound management requires awareness, including knowing the signs and progression of xerosis – an abnormal dryness of skin. Patients with diabetes are prone to dry skin, particularly when blood glucose levels are running high. And as a clinician, one of the most common types of skin conditions you will see in your diabetic patients […]
January 8, 2016
For effective diabetic wound management, clinicians must know the risk factors for foot infections, and be able to diagnose them properly – and as soon as possible. Wound care clinicians deal with foot infections all the time, but when the patient is also diabetic, an infection can progress rapidly to a critical state. In fact, […]
January 1, 2015
What is Charcot Arthropathy? Charcot foot, as it is commonly referred to, is a chronic progressive disease of the bone and joints found in the feet and ankles of our diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy. What leads to this Charcot foot? Having long standing diabetes for greater than 10 years is one contributing factor. Having […]
November 10, 2014
You may have become desensitized to it, but if your patient has odor in the wound bed, consider it a problem that you need to fix. As healthcare clinicians, in a way, we are lucky. We become desensitized to things we encounter over and over again, they just don’t bother us like the first time […]
October 20, 2014
What exactly is an ABI? ABI stands for Ankle Brachial Index. This is a non-invasive bedside tool that compares the systolic blood pressure of the ankle to that of the arm. It is done to rule out Peripheral Arterial Disease in the lower extremities. The ABI is considered the “bedside” gold standard diagnostic test and […]
March 7, 2013
You are getting ready to trim your diabetic patients toenails. What exactly does that all involve? Well, first you need the proper tools for diabetic toenails. A set of toenail nippers, nail file, and orange stick are typically used. Always follow your facility or healthcare’s settings policy for infection control. Single use disposable equipment is […]