Med. praxi. 2024;21(1):67-70 | DOI: 10.36290/med.2023.043

New clinical recommendations in the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers

prof. PhDr. Andrea Pokorná, Ph.D., PhDr. Petra Búřilová, BBA

Ústav zdravotnických věd, Lékařská fakulta, Masarykova univerzita, Brno

Pressure lesions (decubitus) are a serious complication, especially in chronically ill patients with mobility limitations. The risk of pressure ulcers increases with the number of comorbidities and the severity of impaired mobility. The risk is highest in intensive care patients due to frequent impaired consciousness, in immature newborns or, conversely, in elderly persons or patients with spinal cord injury and subsequent mobility in a wheelchair or completely immobile (para and tetraplegic patients). The prevalence of pressure lesions is increasing, related to the ability to save the lives of critically ill children and adults, but often at the cost of logical prioritisation of life-saving procedures and neglect of skin and tissue care. Also significant is the fact of the increased ability to report Pressure ulcers in the context of reimbursed health care, but also as adverse events concerning functional monitoring systems at the national level. Prevention is a major challenge in the context of quality and safe care, and it should be emphasised that pressure lesions can occur even when all measures are in place, especially in critically ill persons. Appropriate prevention and treatment practices must be evidence-based, effective and cost-effective. This paper summarises recommendations that meet these requirements in relation to international recommendations and guidelines.

Keywords: pressure lesions, decubitus, pressure ulcers/pressure injuries, prevention, treatment, recommendation.

Received: October 3, 2023; Accepted: October 23, 2023; Published: March 6, 2024  Show citation