Selected aspects of prevention of pressure ulcers

In the past two decades, the incidence of pressure ulcers has dramatically increased, and health care workers have difficulties in providing effective preventive and curative measures, especially in the case of elderly, chronically and terminally ill patients. Currently, medical care emphasises the use of “evidence-based practice.” Both in Poland and throughout the world, care guidelines are being elaborated. All of them emphasise the importance of identifying patients who are at risk of development of pressure ulcers and placing them under comprehensive prevention. The literature lists over 100 different risk factors for developing pressure sores. Diagnosis of a patient who is at risk of pressure ulcers should be based primarily on the SIA independent predictors specified on the basis of surveys of the literature and meta-analyses. In this paper, selected risk factors and recommendations for comprehensive care of patients at risk and with bedsores have been discussed.