Pressure ulcers are also known as pressure sores, or bed sores. They occur when the skin and underlying tissue becomes damaged. In very serious cases, the underlying muscle and bone can also be damaged.
People who are unable to move some or all of their body due to illness, paralysis or advanced age often develop pressure ulcers.
How common are pressure ulcers?
Pressure ulcers are a widespread and often underestimated health problem. For example, in the UK, it's estimated that between four and 10% of all patients admitted to hospital will develop at least one pressure ulcer. For elderly people with mobility problems, the figure can be as high as 70%.
Even with the best possible medical and nursing care, pressure ulcers can be difficult to prevent in particularly vulnerable people.
Prognosis
In some cases, pressure ulcers present a minor inconvenience that can be treated with some simple nursing care. However, sometimes they can cause extensive damage to the skin, and lead to life-threatening infections, such as wide-spread infection of the blood (sepsis) and tissue death (gangrene).
There are two main goals when caring for people who are at risk of developing pressure ulcers. These are:
- to attempt to prevent the development of pressure ulcers by using special dressings and equipment, and by regularly changing a patient’s position, and
- to treat existing pressure sores by cleaning them and by using antibiotics, improved nutrition and, in the most severe cases, surgery.
Ulcers
An ulcer is a sore break in the skin or on the inside lining of the body.
Tissues
Body tissue is made up of groups of cells that perform a specific job, such as protecting the body against infection, producing movement or storing fat.
Last updated: 04 October 2011
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