An update on diabetic foot ¿Por qué debemos preocuparnos del pie diabético? Importancia del pie diabético

Abstract

The diabetic foot is responsible for 70% of amputations in adults, entails a significant impact in the life of patients and it is associated with an excessive use of resources in our health system. The 2009-2010 National Health Survey indicated that in the "last year" 6.7% of subjects with diabetes consulted a health care professional for diabetic foot. With the permanent rise of worldwide and national prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus and the increased life expectancy in our country, the public health system needs to adapt to this new epidemiological situation. There are interventions, which have been tested abroad, that may modify substantially the natural history of diabetic foot. However, in our country there is little experience with them. This deficiency results in increased rates of amputation and possibly a deterioration of the quality of life of diabetic patients. The objective of this article is to provide an update on the knowledge about diabetic foot.