title: Pressure ulcers: prevention and management.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe important aspects of pressure ulcer prevention and management, especially in elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed pertinent published material in the medical literature and summarized effective strategies in the overall management of the elderly population with pressure ulcers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pressure ulcers are commonly encountered in geriatric patients. The development of a pressure ulcer is associated with an increased risk of death. Certain well-recognized risk factors, such as immobility and incontinence, may predispose to the development of pressure ulcers; consequently, risk factor modification is an important aspect of prevention and treatment. For existing lesions, various innovative patient support surfaces and wound care products have been developed to alleviate pressure and to facilitate wound healing. The use of a particular product should be based on the clinical setting and the limited scientific evidence available. With treatment, most pressure ulcers eventually heal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pressure ulcers are often, but not always, preventable. The occurrence of such an ulcer signals the possible presence of chronic comorbid disease and should prompt a search for underlying risk factors in patients for whom ulcer treatment is considered appropriate.
authors.affiliation: Section of Geriatrics, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chutka
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Garness
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012307:Risk Factors