Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Editorial Advisory Committee
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Essential Principles in the Care of the Elderly
- 2 Assessment of the Older Patient
- 3 Prevention for Older Adults
- 4 Common Complaints in the Elderly
- 5 Appropriate Use of Medications in the Elderly
- 6 Nutrition and Aging
- 7 Using Exercise as Medicine for Older Adults
- 8 Diabetes Mellitus in the Older Adult
- 9 Lipid Management in Older Patients
- 10 Hypertension
- 11 Diagnosis and Management of Heart Disease in the Elderly
- 12 Peripheral Arterial Disease in the Elderly
- 13 Stroke in the Older Adult
- 14 Neurological Problems in the Elderly
- 15 Recognition and Management of Delirium
- 16 Evaluation and Management of Dementia
- 17 Clinical Geropsychiatry
- 18 Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse in Older Patients
- 19 Aging in Adults with Developmental Disabilities
- 20 Pulmonary Issues in the Elderly
- 21 Gastroenterological Disease in the Older Adult
- 22 Serious Infections in the Elderly
- 23 Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the Elderly
- 24 Principles of Fluid and Electrolyte Balance and Renal Disorders in the Older Patient
- 25 Urological Issues in Older Adults
- 26 Urinary Incontinence
- 27 Geriatric Gynecology
- 28 Disorders of the Endocrine Glands
- 29 Osteoporosis and Other Metabolic Disorders of the Skeleton in Aging
- 30 Common Rheumatic Diseases in the Elderly
- 31 Musculoskeletal Injuries in the Elderly
- 32 Foot Health for the Elderly: Podogeriatric Overview
- 33 Geriatric Dermatology
- 34 Pressure Ulcers: Practical Considerations in Prevention and Treatment
- 35 Anemia and Other Hematological Problems of the Elderly
- 36 Cancer in the Elderly
- 37 Eye Problems of the Aged
- 38 Geriatric Ear, Nose, and Throat Problems
- 39 Geriatric Dentistry
- 40 Surgical Principles in the Aged
- 41 Rehabilitation in Older Adults
- 42 Community-Based Long-Term Care
- 43 Institutional Long-Term Care
- 44 Care for the Elderly Patient at the End of Life
- 45 Assessment of Decision-Making Capacity
- 46 Injuries in Older Adults
- 47 The Mistreatment of Older Adults
- 48 Driving and the Older Adult
- 49 Integrative Medicine in the Care of the Elderly
- 50 Successful Aging: Optimizing Strategies for Primary Care Geriatrics
- 51 Cell Biology and Physiology of Aging
- 52 Implications of an Aging Society
- 53 Ethnogeriatrics
- 54 Retirement
- 55 Geriatric Sexuality
- 56 The Elderly, Their Families, and Their Caregivers
- 57 Systematic Approaches to Preventing Errors in the Care of the Elderly
- 58 Health Care Organization and Financing
- 59 Advance Care Planning: Values and Families in End-of-Life Care
- 60 Ethical Decision Making in Geriatric Medicine
- Index
- Plate section
34 - Pressure Ulcers: Practical Considerations in Prevention and Treatment
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 May 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Editorial Advisory Committee
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Essential Principles in the Care of the Elderly
- 2 Assessment of the Older Patient
- 3 Prevention for Older Adults
- 4 Common Complaints in the Elderly
- 5 Appropriate Use of Medications in the Elderly
- 6 Nutrition and Aging
- 7 Using Exercise as Medicine for Older Adults
- 8 Diabetes Mellitus in the Older Adult
- 9 Lipid Management in Older Patients
- 10 Hypertension
- 11 Diagnosis and Management of Heart Disease in the Elderly
- 12 Peripheral Arterial Disease in the Elderly
- 13 Stroke in the Older Adult
- 14 Neurological Problems in the Elderly
- 15 Recognition and Management of Delirium
- 16 Evaluation and Management of Dementia
- 17 Clinical Geropsychiatry
- 18 Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse in Older Patients
- 19 Aging in Adults with Developmental Disabilities
- 20 Pulmonary Issues in the Elderly
- 21 Gastroenterological Disease in the Older Adult
- 22 Serious Infections in the Elderly
- 23 Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the Elderly
- 24 Principles of Fluid and Electrolyte Balance and Renal Disorders in the Older Patient
- 25 Urological Issues in Older Adults
- 26 Urinary Incontinence
- 27 Geriatric Gynecology
- 28 Disorders of the Endocrine Glands
- 29 Osteoporosis and Other Metabolic Disorders of the Skeleton in Aging
- 30 Common Rheumatic Diseases in the Elderly
- 31 Musculoskeletal Injuries in the Elderly
- 32 Foot Health for the Elderly: Podogeriatric Overview
- 33 Geriatric Dermatology
- 34 Pressure Ulcers: Practical Considerations in Prevention and Treatment
- 35 Anemia and Other Hematological Problems of the Elderly
- 36 Cancer in the Elderly
- 37 Eye Problems of the Aged
- 38 Geriatric Ear, Nose, and Throat Problems
- 39 Geriatric Dentistry
- 40 Surgical Principles in the Aged
- 41 Rehabilitation in Older Adults
- 42 Community-Based Long-Term Care
- 43 Institutional Long-Term Care
- 44 Care for the Elderly Patient at the End of Life
- 45 Assessment of Decision-Making Capacity
- 46 Injuries in Older Adults
- 47 The Mistreatment of Older Adults
- 48 Driving and the Older Adult
- 49 Integrative Medicine in the Care of the Elderly
- 50 Successful Aging: Optimizing Strategies for Primary Care Geriatrics
- 51 Cell Biology and Physiology of Aging
- 52 Implications of an Aging Society
- 53 Ethnogeriatrics
- 54 Retirement
- 55 Geriatric Sexuality
- 56 The Elderly, Their Families, and Their Caregivers
- 57 Systematic Approaches to Preventing Errors in the Care of the Elderly
- 58 Health Care Organization and Financing
- 59 Advance Care Planning: Values and Families in End-of-Life Care
- 60 Ethical Decision Making in Geriatric Medicine
- Index
- Plate section
Summary
INTRODUCTION
The 2004 death of actor/director, Christopher Reeve, at the age of 52 years from heart failure secondary to an infected pressure ulcer underscores the importance of effective pressure ulcer prevention, treatment, and management strategies. Septic infections are associated with pressure ulcers and age-adjusted mortality rate calculations are 3.79 per 100,000 population (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.77–3.81). The incidence of pressure ulcers vary greatly. In the acute care setting, incidence ranges from 0.4%–38% and in nursing homes prevalence rates range from 2%–23.9%.
Pressure ulcers add significantly to health care costs and patient suffering. Beckrich and Aronovitch estimated that pressure ulcers cost the U.S. health care system $5–$8 billion (1999 dollars). Patients describe, “endless pain,” isolating themselves from others, and fear of odors emanating from pressure ulcers.
More than 95% of pressure ulcers develop on the lower half of the body with the greatest number in the heaviest part, the pelvic girdle. Approximately one quarter of adult Americans have a pressure ulcer at the time of their death. Because of the high prevalence and incidence of pressure ulcers and their complications, costs to the health care system, pain and suffering for affected adults, and caregiver burden, efforts are being made to reduce pressure ulcer rates. One of the goals of Healthy People 2010 is to “reduce the proportion of nursing home residents with current diagnosis of pressure ulcers.”
The purpose of this chapter is to discuss evidence-based literature regarding the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers in older adults and the need for an interdisciplinary team approach in pressure ulcer care.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Reichel's Care of the ElderlyClinical Aspects of Aging, pp. 369 - 379Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009