Record high amputations emphasises importance of diabetes foot care

[DCUK NewsBot]

A record 169 people per week are undergoing diabetes-related amputations, according to a new Diabetes UK study. The charity's findings has emphasised the importance of regular foot checks for people with diabetes, and the need to look out for and act early on any signs of foot problems. Diabetes UK’s analysis revealed that 26,378 people had diabetes-related lower limb amputations in 2014-2017, a 19.4% rise compared to 2010-2013. The data works out that 169 people a week are undergoing largely-preventable amputations because of diabetes. Diabetes is a leading cause of lower limb amputations because long-term high blood glucose levels can lead to damage to blood vessels and blood circulation. Loss of nerve sensation is another factor because damage may occur to the feet without someone being aware until the damage has progressed to a dangerous stage. The risk of someone with diabetes having an amputation is 20 times greater compared to a person who does not have diabetes, but amputations and poor foot health can be prevented. If you have diabetes, your health team should check your feet at least once per year. However, it is important that you check your feet each day for any signs of damage because problems can develop quickly. If you find it difficult to check your own feet, a mirror can help or ask someone to check your feet for you. Report any signs of a foot problem to your doctor immediately to minimise the risk of amputations occurring. "The chance of someone with diabetes having a major amputation is actually going down, with far lower amputation rates than in countries such as Germany," said Professor Jonathan Valabhji, national clinical director for diabetes and obesity at NHS England. "But, as the absolute number of people with diabetes goes up, the number of people at risk of amputations goes up too." Diabetes UK also called on NHS England to continue its Diabetes Transformation Fund beyond 2019. Since 2017 more than £80 million has been invested by the fund across England to improve care, including access to specialist foot care teams.

Continue reading...

 

[Guzzler]

This is just so sad.

 

[Member496333]

This is just so sad.

It is. Even sadder is that it would be largely preventable if the nation didn’t keep encouraging its diabetics to consume more of the food that caused their condition whilst being sure to check their feet daily.

Cosmic absurdity

 

[Guzzler]

It is. Even sadder is that it would be largely preventable if the nation didn’t keep encouraging its diabetics to consume more of the food that caused their condition whilst being sure to check their feet daily.

Cosmic absurdity

Absolutely. I was going to put '..... as long as you stick with the NHS guidelines' but to be honest the sadness overwhelmed me.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Yes, very sad. On the BBC news earlier tonight there was a piece about it showing a poor man (a type 1) who looked in a really bad way.

 

[ickihun]

A record 169 people per week are undergoing diabetes-related amputations, according to a new Diabetes UK study. The charity's findings has emphasised the importance of regular foot checks for people with diabetes, and the need to look out for and act early on any signs of foot problems. Diabetes UK’s analysis revealed that 26,378 people had diabetes-related lower limb amputations in 2014-2017, a 19.4% rise compared to 2010-2013. The data works out that 169 people a week are undergoing largely-preventable amputations because of diabetes. Diabetes is a leading cause of lower limb amputations because long-term high blood glucose levels can lead to damage to blood vessels and blood circulation. Loss of nerve sensation is another factor because damage may occur to the feet without someone being aware until the damage has progressed to a dangerous stage. The risk of someone with diabetes having an amputation is 20 times greater compared to a person who does not have diabetes, but amputations and poor foot health can be prevented. If you have diabetes, your health team should check your feet at least once per year. However, it is important that you check your feet each day for any signs of damage because problems can develop quickly. If you find it difficult to check your own feet, a mirror can help or ask someone to check your feet for you. Report any signs of a foot problem to your doctor immediately to minimise the risk of amputations occurring. "The chance of someone with diabetes having a major amputation is actually going down, with far lower amputation rates than in countries such as Germany," said Professor Jonathan Valabhji, national clinical director for diabetes and obesity at NHS England. "But, as the absolute number of people with diabetes goes up, the number of people at risk of amputations goes up too." Diabetes UK also called on NHS England to continue its Diabetes Transformation Fund beyond 2019. Since 2017 more than £80 million has been invested by the fund across England to improve care, including access to specialist foot care teams.

Continue reading...

Just reminded me to book my annual check.

 

[kokhongw]

And to think the Dr Gary Fettke was censured for giving advice that could really limbs...

 

[Guzzler]

And to think the Dr Gary Fettke was censured for giving advice that could really limbs...

It really is staggering, isnt it? And it makes me wonder if there hasn't been other forward looking orthos who may have started on the same path as Gary but who may have stopped in the light of what happened to him.

 

[ickihun]

Poor man. I really felt for him. I think the amputation affect him more because society turns on diabetics when many cannot stop it's effects.
Society are to blame for his unhappiness, maybe more than him losing a toe. He even said it has affected him. Due to having to learn to walk again without it, maybe?
Society is turning hard faced.
Where is the compassion for this suffering diabetic?
Who could be so cruel as to accuse him of not eating correctly?
Poor man.

Society has let him down.

 

[kokhongw]

By the time non-healing foot ulcers and gangrene sets in...there was little hesitation from the public hospital to remove up to the knee...we faced an uphill task attempting to save toe by toe, not to mention that each surgery cost $10,000 upwards in private hospital...it was a long and difficult year...the real cost of excessive carbs.

 

[kokhongw]

I wonder why we never explored this...
Topical insulin accelerates wound healing in diabetes by enhancing the AKT and ERK pathways: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22662132

 

[ickihun]

By the time non-healing foot ulcers and gangrene sets in...there was little hesitation from the public hospital to remove up to the knee...we faced an uphill task attempting to save toe by toe, not to mention that each surgery cost $10,000 upwards in private hospital...it was a long and difficult year...the real cost of excessive carbs.

Thats strange as type1s on excessive carbs would be taking excessive insulin. The guy didn't mention carbs.

 

[ickihun]

I wonder why we never explored this...
Topical insulin accelerates wound healing in diabetes by enhancing the AKT and ERK pathways: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22662132

Now I'm interested.

 

[kokhongw]

Now I'm interested.

There is also this
Effects of insulin on the skin: possible healing benefits for diabetic foot ulcers.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27655635

Diabetic foot ulcers affect 15-20 % of all diabetic patients and remain an important challenge since the available therapies have limited efficacy and some of the novel therapeutic approaches, which include growth factors and stem cells, are highly expensive and their safety remains to be evaluated. Despite its low cost and safety, the interest for topical insulin as a healing agent has increased only in the last 20 years. The molecular mechanisms of insulin signaling and its metabolic effects have been well studied in its classical target tissues. However, little is known about the specific effects of insulin in healthy or even diabetic skin. In addition, the mechanisms involved in the effects of insulin on wound healing have been virtually unknown until about 10 years ago. This paper will review the most recent advances in the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie the beneficial effects of insulin on skin wound healing in diabetes. Emerging evidence that links dysfunction of key cellular organelles, namely the endoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondria, to changes in the autophagy response, as well as the impaired wound healing in diabetic patients will also be discussed along with the putative mechanisms whereby insulin could regulate/modulate these alterations.

 

[ickihun]

Many insulin users are very cautious using too much insulin due to weight gain.

Society has let down the sufferer on BBC news today.

Thats why more amputations these days. Also in the past diabetes was like leprosy. Bits fell off your body as you rotted away.