Abstract
Dermatological conditions such as anhydrosis (lack of sweat production), xerosis (abnormal dryness and scaling of skin), callous and fissuring increase the risk of ulceration in diabetic autonomic neuropathy. Patient education and topical application of emollients are effective in the prevention of these conditions, and may reduce the associated risk of ulceration. However, patient compliance is often difficult to achieve and multiple daily applications of emollient are considered demanding and inconvenient. With this in view, the use of an emollient that is effective in preventing dermatological conditions with a once-daily topical application may improve patient compliance and reduce the risk of diabetic ulceration. This review will consider the risk factors of and the causal pathways towards diabetic foot ulceration, and will discuss the clinical effectiveness of urea-based emollients as a targeted preventative intervention.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 26-32 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Dermatological Nursing |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - 2012 |