Diabetes is major health issue in the United States, and in the southeast, approximately 15 percent of the population is diabetic. It’s known that diabetes doubles the risk for heart disease in men and triples the risk of heart disease in women. And in Hamilton County, there are approximately 55,000 people living with this dangerous and potentially life-threatening condition. When it comes to appropriate diabetes care, there’s a lot to do – control blood sugar, watch out for eye problems and monitor foot infections.
“There are more than 1,000 people in Hamilton County with sores on their feet, which is a bigger problem that many people might think,” says University Surgical Associates (USA) vascular surgeon Michael Greer, M.D. “Many people have toes, or feet or legs amputated that could have been saved with proper care, and it’s a personal mission of mine to raise awareness with patients and physicians alike.”
According to Dr. Greer, there are two main problems that are impacting people with diabetes – lack of education about the condition and poor access to healthcare coverage due to financial considerations. These factors are also proven to be related to more frequent foot ulcers and complications. Many people do not understand the seriousness of these problems or how they can lead to foot amputations and even premature death!
“Just like heart disease or stroke, diabetes and associated complications like foot ulcers are urgent problems that many people are facing – and delay in treatment can lead to a person losing a toe, foot or even their leg,” says USA vascular surgeon Karen Rudolph, M. D.
Diabetic ulcers are open sores on the foot – usually circular in nature – and occur commonly on the toes or heels although they can be present anywhere on the foot. They can develop because of cuts, blisters and sometimes callus formations that turn into ulcers. According to Dr. Rudolph, many people don’t realize how serious even a small injury to the foot can be for a person with diabetes. A tiny scratch can develop into a major ulcer and spreading infection that can ultimately require amputation if not caught early enough.