Managing Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Pathophysiology, Risk Factors, and Treatment

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Introduction
In this report, there is a discussion on the managing of diabetic foot ulcers, which occurs
to the blockage of blood vessels in the legs. Diabetic foot ulcers are big difficulties for the patient
of diabetes. Further discussion is on the pathophysiology of diabetic foot management in which
oxidative pressure on the blood cells of legs. In this report, the discussion is on the risk factor to
the diabetic patient such as hypertension and weak glycemic in the body of the patient.
The supervision of diabetic foot is important for the diabetic patient because there is a
threat of foot ulcers, infection, and nerve damage and foot problems. Managing diabetic foot
ulcers reduce the threat of low glycemic control, ulceration, and sepsis. The diabetic patient must
take care of foot by regular medication of foot, observing your blood sugar daily, regular
exercise and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
According to clinical research, 38% has developed a foot ulcer due to improper
management.
Figure 1: Prevalence of diabetic foot ulcer
Source: (Gebrekiros , 2013)
There are some major risks involved in the ulcers that are foot ulcers peripheral arterial
occlusive disease and diabetic neuropathy. The other is major risk in this disease is structural

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foot deformity. The examinations of these risks clearly identify the patient’s risk and diabetic
foot complications.
Figure 2: Risk involved in foot ulcers
Source: (Ibrahim, 2017)
Meaning of Diabetes foot management
Diabetes foot management is very crucial for a person who is suffering from diabetes.
There are too many complications in the diabetic foot as it is the most impactful outcome of
diabetes. Due to the foot ulcers, severe complications can arise such as diabetic neuropathy.
Neuropathy is 16% to 66% among diabetic patients (Alexiadou1, 2012).

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Pathophysiology of diabetic foot ulcers
Foot ulcers have insusceptible, neuropathic and vascular components and state of the
hyperglycemic state of diabetes represents a base relation. One of the consequences of
Hyperglycemia creates oxidative pressure on nerve cells, which may carry forward to
neuropathy. In the case of severe Diabetes, it damages the sweat glands function in which foot
ability to moisturize the skin decreased and cause skin breakdown of the foot. In the foot ulcers,
patients could not notice the damage due to the numbness in the feet, which mainly called
Peripheral neurology. Vascular variations are the reason for the diabetic foot ulcers, which relate
with the hyperglycemia, which can affect both, type one and 2 diabetic patients (Wade, 2015).
Diabetic foot ulcers patient risk factors
 The major risk element for the patients of diabetic foot ulcers is deformity and
hypertension to the person.
 Claudication illness is a major risk for diabetic patients because it causes weaknesses and
pain in the legs. It can be improved with the rest.
 Weak glycemic control considered as a major risk for diabetic patients as it uplifted the
blood glucose quantity (Rosyid, 2017).
 Drinking and smoking is also a major risk because foot ulcers developed when there is no
healthy blood flow in the body and drinking or smoking prevents the healthy blood flow
in the body.
 Neuropathy is also a risk for patients because it affects the sensual and motor elements of
the nervous system. Compromised innervate of muscles fiber of the legs can cause altered
extension of the affected foot. The person who is suffering from foot ulcers also has a
risk skin break down and pain in the affected foot.
 The common risk factors for diabetic patients are, the quality of shoes is very low and
poorly fitted. Heart and kidney disease is also a risk element for diabetic patient. Hygiene
is also a major factor that the patient should keep in his mind. Proper trimming of toenails
is important (Reginald , 2010).