skin disorders
Pressure Sores
Risk Factors
Risk factors for pressure sores include the following: Age over 65 years Decreased mobility Long-term exposure to skin irritants (such as feces or urine) An impaired capacity for wound healing because of a disorder such as Undernutrition , Impaired sensation because of nerve damage (such people do not feel discomfort or pain, which would prompt them to change positions) Pressure sores occur most frequently in older adults because their skin may be thinner and may heal more slowly. The sores often develop in people after they have been hospitalized for a different medical problem that limits their ability to move or shift around. Pressure sores can occur in people of any age who are confined to bed or a chair, or who are unable to reposition themselves. People who have nerve damage or paralysis have a higher risk of developing pressure sores. They can also develop in children who have severe neurologic impairments that make them less able to move such as Spina Bifida , Undernutrition increases the risk of developing pressure sores and slows the healing process of sores that do develop. Undernourished people may not have enough body fat to cushion the tissue. Also, the skin heals poorly if people are undernourished, particularly if they are deficient in protein, vitamin C, or zinc. Aging itself does not cause pressure sores. But it causes changes in tissues that make pressure sores more likely to develop. As people age, the outer layers of the skin thin. Many older adults have less fat and muscle, which help absorb pressure. The number of blood vessels decreases, and blood vessels rupture more easily. All wounds, including pressure sores, heal more slowly. Certain risk factors make pressure sores more likely to develop in older adults: Being unable to move normally because of a disorder such as Overview of Stroke None Having to stay in bed for a long time, for example, because of surgery Being excessively sleepy (such people are less likely to change position or ask someone to reposition them) Losing sensation because of nerve damage (such people do not feel discomfort or pain, which would prompt them to change positions) Becoming less responsive to what is happening in and around them, including their own discomfort or pain, because of a disorder such as Dementia None Having an impaired capacity for wound healing because of a disorder such as Diabetes Mellitus (DM) , Inadequate nutrition increases the chances of developing pressure sores and slows the healing of sores that do develop. 