In Alberta, regular foot screens help in
If you are talking with a client about travel, exercise, pain, sleep, or barriers to change then you also need to talk about foot care. The survival rate after a lower limb amputation is approximately 26% after 5 years. Saving limbs can save lives.
1. Complications Involving Feet
- Complications to feet can involve skin, nails, structure/anatomy, loss of peripheral sensation, arterial compromise, ulcer and amputations.
- One amputation increases the risk for a second amputation. Up to 50% of older people with type 2 diabetes have 1 or more risk factors for foot complications – such as peripheral vascular disease, neuropathy, decreased sensation, deformity, trauma, previous ulceration, microvascular complications or smoking.
- There are 1100 lower limb amputations per year in Alberta. The majority are secondary diabetes foot ulcers. Unfortunately, about 15-20% of all people with diabetes will develop ulcers. The survival rate after a lower limb amputation is low. After 5 years, only 286 of 1100 (26%) with lower limb amputations have likely survived.
- Saving limbs, saves lives. See below.
2. Save Limbs & Lives: Do a Foot Assessment
Complete the Saving Limbs learning modules for HCP on myLearningLink (AHS) or ABSORB (PCNs)
Click The Alberta Diabetes Foot Care Clinical Pathway to visit their tools directly.
Or visit the quick links by clicking on each of the resources below.
Referral for Diabetes Foot Care
Low-Moderate Risk: Refer to the Calgary services listed here.
High Risk: Refer to the Calgary services listed here for fax numbers.
Urgent: Educator to contact patient's family doctor. If unavailable, refer to urgent care services.