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Diabetic Foot Ulcer: Synopsis of the Epidemiology and Pathophysiology

Received: 10 May 2018     Accepted: 29 May 2018     Published: 28 June 2018
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Abstract

Over 415 million people had diabetes in 2015 and the number is projected to increase in the coming years. The complications of diabetes affect millions of people all over the world and diabetic foot is one of the most common. The global prevalence of diabetic foot varies significantly and a reasonable proportion of cases end up in amputation. Despite interventions at various levels, it continues to be a menacing issue in the overall management of diabetes. Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is classified as neuropathic, ischemic or neuro-ischemic. Neuropathic ulcers originate in the setting of diabetic neuropathy while ischemic ulcers are secondary to vascular disease. Infections and the intrinsic delayed wound healing that characterizes diabetes are important considerations in the pathophysiology of DFU. The prevention of DFU involves adequate glycemic control and modification of risk factors. While health education is a fundamental obligation of health care professionals, it is paramount that patients adopt the guidelines of feet care and integrate them into daily life in trying to prevent diabetic foot and its consequences. The aim of this review article is to summarize the epidemiology, pathophysiology and prevention of diabetic foot ulcer.

Published in International Journal of Diabetes and Endocrinology (Volume 3, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijde.20180302.11
Page(s) 23-28
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2018. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Diabetic Foot Ulcer, Amputation, Neuropathy, Peripheral Arterial Disease

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Amin Muhammad Ibrahim. (2018). Diabetic Foot Ulcer: Synopsis of the Epidemiology and Pathophysiology. International Journal of Diabetes and Endocrinology, 3(2), 23-28. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijde.20180302.11

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    ACS Style

    Amin Muhammad Ibrahim. Diabetic Foot Ulcer: Synopsis of the Epidemiology and Pathophysiology. Int. J. Diabetes Endocrinol. 2018, 3(2), 23-28. doi: 10.11648/j.ijde.20180302.11

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    AMA Style

    Amin Muhammad Ibrahim. Diabetic Foot Ulcer: Synopsis of the Epidemiology and Pathophysiology. Int J Diabetes Endocrinol. 2018;3(2):23-28. doi: 10.11648/j.ijde.20180302.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijde.20180302.11,
      author = {Amin Muhammad Ibrahim},
      title = {Diabetic Foot Ulcer: Synopsis of the Epidemiology and Pathophysiology},
      journal = {International Journal of Diabetes and Endocrinology},
      volume = {3},
      number = {2},
      pages = {23-28},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijde.20180302.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijde.20180302.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijde.20180302.11},
      abstract = {Over 415 million people had diabetes in 2015 and the number is projected to increase in the coming years. The complications of diabetes affect millions of people all over the world and diabetic foot is one of the most common. The global prevalence of diabetic foot varies significantly and a reasonable proportion of cases end up in amputation. Despite interventions at various levels, it continues to be a menacing issue in the overall management of diabetes. Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is classified as neuropathic, ischemic or neuro-ischemic. Neuropathic ulcers originate in the setting of diabetic neuropathy while ischemic ulcers are secondary to vascular disease. Infections and the intrinsic delayed wound healing that characterizes diabetes are important considerations in the pathophysiology of DFU. The prevention of DFU involves adequate glycemic control and modification of risk factors. While health education is a fundamental obligation of health care professionals, it is paramount that patients adopt the guidelines of feet care and integrate them into daily life in trying to prevent diabetic foot and its consequences. The aim of this review article is to summarize the epidemiology, pathophysiology and prevention of diabetic foot ulcer.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

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    AB  - Over 415 million people had diabetes in 2015 and the number is projected to increase in the coming years. The complications of diabetes affect millions of people all over the world and diabetic foot is one of the most common. The global prevalence of diabetic foot varies significantly and a reasonable proportion of cases end up in amputation. Despite interventions at various levels, it continues to be a menacing issue in the overall management of diabetes. Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is classified as neuropathic, ischemic or neuro-ischemic. Neuropathic ulcers originate in the setting of diabetic neuropathy while ischemic ulcers are secondary to vascular disease. Infections and the intrinsic delayed wound healing that characterizes diabetes are important considerations in the pathophysiology of DFU. The prevention of DFU involves adequate glycemic control and modification of risk factors. While health education is a fundamental obligation of health care professionals, it is paramount that patients adopt the guidelines of feet care and integrate them into daily life in trying to prevent diabetic foot and its consequences. The aim of this review article is to summarize the epidemiology, pathophysiology and prevention of diabetic foot ulcer.
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Author Information
  • Department of Endocrinology, University of South Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom

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