PRESSURE ULCERS - PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT

Objective: To describe important aspects of pressure ulcer prevention and management, especially in elderly patients. Design: We reviewed pe rtinent published material in the medical literature and summarized ef fective strategies in the overall management of the elderly population with pressure ulcers. Results: Pressure ulcers are commonly encounter ed in geriatric patients, The development of a pressure ulcer is assoc iated with an increased risk of death, Certain well-recognized risk fa ctors, such as immobility and incontinence, may predispose to the deve lopment of pressure ulcers; consequently, risk factor modification is an important aspect of prevention and treatment, For existing lesions, various innovative patient support surfaces and wound care products h ave been developed to alleviate pressure and to facilitate wound heali ng, The use of a particular product should be based an the clinical se tting and the limited scientific evidence available, With treatment, m ost pressure ulcers eventually heal. Conclusion: Pressure ulcers are o ften, but not always, preventable, The occurrence of such an ulcer sig nals the possible presence of chronic comorbid disease and should prom pt a search for underlying risk factors in patients for whom ulcer tre atment is considered appropriate.