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Pressure sores. Epidemiology and current management concepts
1Department of Health Care for the Elderly, St Luke's Hospital, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.
Drugs & Aging
|January 1, 1992
Summary
Pressure sores are common, especially in older adults, and are preventable complications of immobility. Effective prevention and management strategies exist, including specialized equipment and wound care, with newer products requiring further clinical validation.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Wound Care
- Nursing
Background:
- Pressure sores affect 5-9% of patients, predominantly those over 70.
- Often misattributed to poor nursing care, they are complications of immobility.
- Prevention and management require risk identification, nursing interventions, and specialized equipment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current evidence on pressure sore prevention and management.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of specialized equipment and wound dressings.
- To provide guidance on classifying and treating different types of pressure sores.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of pressure sore prevention and management strategies.
- Analysis of clinical trial data for specialized equipment (e.g., airwave system, bead systems, Vaperm mattress).
- Classification of pressure sores into four types based on tissue damage and depth.
Main Results:
- Specialized equipment like the airwave system, polystyrene bead systems, and Vaperm mattress are effective.
- Hydrocolloid and alginate dressings optimize the wound environment for types 2 and 3 ulcers.
- Manual debridement and warm saline cleansing are recommended; antiseptics and traditional wound applications have limited roles.
Conclusions:
- Pressure sores are preventable complications of immobility requiring proactive management.
- Validated specialized equipment and appropriate dressings are crucial for effective treatment.
- Further clinical trials are needed for newer wound care products, especially for sacral sores.