Test your knowledge on diabetic foot ulcers
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A diabetic foot ulcer is when someone with diabetes has an open sore or wound commonly located on the bottom of the foot. Anyone who has diabetes can develop a foot ulcer with those who use insulin who are at a higher risk. Other high-risk individuals with diabetes include those with diabetes-related kidney, eye, and heart disease, being overweight, and those using alcohol and tobacco which can play a role in its development.
Foot ulcers are a concern for anyone with the disease of diabetes as this is what lands more people with this condition in the hospital than any other diabetes-associated condition. To see how much you know about diabetes and foot ulcers, take the quiz below:
1. What percentage of people with diabetes develops foot ulcers at least once?
a. 1% to 15%
b. 15% to 25%
c. 25% to 40%
d. 40% to 55%
Answer – B Approximately 15% to 25% of people with diabetes will develop foot ulcers at some point in the course of their disease. Everyone with diabetes, both type 1 and type 2, should check their feet every day looking for any kind of sores, cuts, blisters or anything else that could lead to a foot ulcer.
2. Seeking immediate medical attention can reduce the risk of unwanted complications of foot ulcers, including amputation, by what percentage?
a. 50%
b. 67%
c. 78%
d. 85%
Answer – D Diabetic foot ulcers are responsible for 60% of all non-trauma related amputations each year. According to an article published by the online clinical journal Medscape, 12% to 24% of diabetic foot ulcers result in foot amputations. However, seeking immediate medical attention increases a person’s chances of avoiding amputation and other complications and making a full recovery. In fact, up to 85% of amputations can be avoided when one seeks early treatment, according to the American Diabetes Association.
3. Which of the following diabetes complications increases the risk for foot ulcers? More than one answer may be correct.
a. Poor circulation
b. Neuropathy
c. Improperly fitting shoes
d. Bunions or hammertoes
Answer – A, B, C, D Poor circulation makes it more difficult for blood to carry the oxygen and nutrients necessary for maintaining foot health and supporting the healing process in the feet. Neuropathy or nerve damage leads to feelings of pain, tingling, or numbness in the feet indicating a person is at a greater risk for foot ulcers. Shoes that are too tight or too loose along with bunions or hammertoes can create friction on the surfaces of the feet causing blisters and other sores to form.
4. What percentage of people with diabetic foot ulcers also has diabetic neuropathy?
a. 20%
b. 50%
c. 75%
d. 80%
Answer – D While diabetic neuropathy affects 60% of people with diabetes, it strikes 80% of those who have diabetic foot ulcers.
5. In addition to adopting a diabetic diet, people with diabetes should also eat a diet low in _______to reduce risk of diabetic foot ulcers.
a. Salt
b. Monosodum glutamate (MSG)
c. Saturated fat
d. Food additives
Answer – C Doctors and Registered Dietitians recommend people who have diabetic foot ulcers adopt a diabetic diet to regulate blood sugar while also limiting their saturated fat intake. Both factors are thought to support and accelerate the wound-healing process.