One Per Three Diabetes Patients Should Amputees

Diabetic foot complications of diabetes is the most unpleasant for both patients and physicians. This complication occurs in one third of patients with diabetes, even to the diabetic foot amputation due to this.

Number of persons with diabetes in both Indonesia and the world has increased rapidly. By 2030 in Indonesia is expected to have more than 21 million persons with diabetes.

International Diabetes Federation estimates that in 2030 the number of people with diabetes worldwide reached nearly 450 million. This condition is very worrying and will take effect not less, because diabetes is a chronic disease that is progressive, which can cause a variety of chronic complications in various vital organs.



Persons with diabetes should be aware of diabetic foot complications. Imagine, for diabetic patients with uncontrolled blood sugar, foot problems can lead to poor healing of wounds, which then will become infected with more serious consequences such as amputation and even death.

"Diabetic foot complications are the most do not charge for both patients and physicians, because of high mortality, high rates amputasinya and treatment is also a long and expensive, luxury cars just passed. Therefore prevention is very important," explains Prof. Dr. dr. Sarwono Waspadji, Sp.PD, KEMD of Diabetes & Lipid Center, Division of Endocrine Metabolic Medicine Department, Faculty of medicine, at the Media Education 20th Jakarta Diabetes Meeting at the Hotel Le Meridien, Jakarta, Wednesday (02/11/2011).

According to Prof Sarwono, diabetic foot complications can occur due to control sugar levels that are not done well. The main factor is the cause nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy) and blood vessel disorders.

"The nerves that are damaged resulting in diabetic patients can not feel pain and heat sensation in the legs, some are not able to feel any stones or tacks in shoes. Because not feel eventually wound and infection," continued Prof. Sarwono.

Diabetic neuropathy occurs in more than 50 percent of patients with diabetes. The common symptoms are numbness (numbness) and weakness in the legs.

"Impaired vascular flow is also a cause of diabetic foot disorders. The blood vessels in the leg farthest from the heart so that blood vessel size is small. Insufficient blood flow to the legs will cause difficult to heal wounds and infections," explains Dr. Em Yunir, Sp.PD, KEMD, Staff of the Division of Metabolic Endrokrin Department of Medicine Faculty of medicine.

Chronic diabetic foot complications of diabetes is the most feared because of the risk of amputation is high enough and life threatening.

"About 50 percent of patients will die of diabetic foot. Even in 30 seconds there is an amputated diabetic patients," explains Dr. Yunir.

Diabetic foot examination should be thorough, well before the appearance of the wound or injury has occurred now.

It is also highly advisable to check feet regularly every day, to detect if there are injuries or anything suspicious to be able to do the prevention of wound appearance. By doing these efforts then the risk of amputation can be lowered to 85 percent.