Diabetic foot complications occur silently and very early; by the time clear signs appear, the condition has usually progressed to a severe stage.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every 30 seconds, one more person with diabetes worldwide has a leg amputated due to diabetic complications. The Ministry of Health reports that Vietnam has approximately 7 million people with diabetes, and currently more than 55% of these cases have developed complications.
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| Diabetic foot complications occur silently and very early; by the time clear signs appear, the condition has usually progressed to a severe stage. |
However, patients pay little attention to foot complications, leading to more serious complications such as infection, deep ulcers, necrosis, and amputation.
Diabetic complications such as cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, blindness, and stroke are of great concern to many patients. However, many diabetics overlook or pay little attention to diabetic foot complications or diabetic foot infections.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health indicate that approximately 15% - 20% of people with diabetes experience foot complications. In reality, many diabetic patients suffer a reduced quality of life due to amputation, and some patients experience shortened lives due to death from amputation. Therefore, patients need to raise their awareness about diabetic foot complications.
Many factors in people with diabetes can lead to foot complications, such as: complications in large and small blood vessels due to blockage, narrowing, and atherosclerosis; nerve complications; and foot deformities due to vascular and nerve damage. These factors combined make people with diabetes more susceptible to foot infections and slow-healing ulcers.
Due to a lack of early recognition of diabetic complications and insufficient attention to these complications, many patients are complacent in caring for their feet, leading to mistakes that affect their health.
Diabetic foot complications develop silently and occur early, so patients should be examined and screened for diabetic foot complications as soon as the disease is detected.
Hyperglycemia, along with other risk factors such as smoking, high blood lipids, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obesity, are risk factors for damage to blood vessels and peripheral nerves.
From vascular complications to nerve complications, diabetic foot deformities can occur. These complications develop silently, which is why patients may miss early signs. By the time they experience clear symptoms such as heel pain when walking, numbness, or accidentally dropping their shoes, the condition is often already severe.
Due to the complex nature of the disease, diabetic patients are susceptible to many different types of wounds. Diabetic foot ulcers caused by trauma such as accidents, burns, radiation, heat, thorns, nails, or glass shards are the main causes of diabetic wounds.
Neurological ulcers: These usually appear on the soles of the feet and arise from peripheral neuropathy, loss of sensation, and prolonged pressure on the foot bones, leading to bone deformities. These ulcers often contain calluses, fibrous tissue, and hyperkeratotic tissue.
Ischemic ulcers: Caused by reduced blood supply to the skin and subcutaneous tissue of the foot, they usually appear on the distal part of the dorsum of the foot or toes, and are bluish-purple in color, or turn black when necrotic.
Arterial ulcers: Due to reduced blood supply to the leg, the wound area is characterized by paleness, cold skin surface, swelling, tightness, pain, and necrosis or gangrene.
Venous ulcers: These usually occur on the lower leg from below the knee to the ankle, typically around the ankle joint. They often have irregular borders and present with edema and varicose veins.
Ulcers due to mixed causes: blisters, boils, cellulitis.
Diabetic blisters: Occur in approximately 39.7% of people with diabetes. The exact cause of blister formation is unclear. The blisters often develop after minor injuries or prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
Dr. Lam Van Hoang, Head of the Endocrinology - Diabetes Department at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, advises diabetic patients to pay attention to foot care as follows: clean feet thoroughly every day, and dry feet after washing. While washing feet, carefully examine the feet for any abnormalities or injuries.
Patients should absolutely avoid going barefoot to prevent stepping on sharp objects that could injure their feet. They should choose well-fitting shoes that are neither too loose nor too tight, made of soft, comfortable materials, and should choose shoes in the afternoon. Early examination and screening for foot complications play a crucial role in preventing diabetic foot.
Source: https://baodautu.vn/bien-chung-ban-chan-o-benh-nhan-tieu-duong-d219944.html
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