To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: New Treatment Guidelines Address Diabetic Foot Disorders URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/1E7ABE.htm Doctor's Guide October 23, 2000
PARK RIDGE, IL -- October 23, 2000 -- The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) announced new clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic foot disorders. The guidelines appear as a supplement to the current issue of The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery. Foot problems caused by complications of diabetes -- poor circulation, neuropathy and infection -- are the leading cause of hospitalizations of diabetic patients, with an estimated 15 percent experiencing a serious foot problem sometime in their lives. The College's new guidelines are intended for podiatrists, primary-care physicians, vascular surgeons and other medical specialists who treat diabetic patients. "Diabetes is a significant public health burden and every practitioner involved in diabetes care must be aware of the risk factors and diagnostic modalities concerning diabetic foot problems, and make appropriate decisions to treat or refer to a podiatric surgeon," said Robert G. Frykberg, DPM, MPH, a member of the ACFAS Executive Committee and participant in developing the diabetic foot care guidelines. "These comprehensive, evidence-based guidelines are designed to improve understanding of the causes of diabetic foot problems and provide information about new treatments for foot ulcers and other diabetic foot conditions," Frykberg said. In the US, an estimated 800,000 new cases of foot ulcers occur every year, and 86,000 diabetic patients undergo foot amputations. Ulcers are the leading cause of lower extremity amputations. As a result, the diabetic foot guidelines urge practitioners to examine their patients' feet during every office visit. "Simply telling diabetic patients to remove their shoes and socks in the examining room and taking time to inspect their feet can help physicians prevent foot ulcers or catch them at early stages," Frykberg said. The ACFAS guidelines also provide information regarding new treatments for managing foot ulcers, such as growth factors and skin substitutes that can expedite healing. Frykberg added that the guidelines reflect the strong support within ACFAS for multidisciplinary approaches to managing foot disorders in people with diabetes. "Diabetes can hamper multiple organs, circulation and metabolism and often requires treatment by several specialists. The new guidelines encourage every type of practitioner to pay attention to the warning signs of foot disorders and take appropriate action before further complications occur," Frykberg said. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.