Evidence-based health care July1994 Issue 6 Anglia and Oxford Regional Health Authority PRESSURE SORES

Pressure sores are a big problem, with a prevalence of 5 to 9 % and more than 70 % occurring in patients over 70 years. They are often blamed (falsely) on poor nursing care, but are best seen as a potentially preventable complication of acute immobility illness. Prevention involves a variety of issues, including assessment of risk, appropriateness of care, and the effectiveness of special equipment. Bandolier became interested in pressure sores after reading an excellent randomised study of a pressure reducing mattress in Lancet earlier this year; other studies were sought by searching the literature, with little result. We did find a number of good reviews looking at pressure reducing systems and other facets of pressure sores. While well written and thorough, they all made the same depressing point- that there are few if any well conducte