• Connie A Jastremski.
• Rome Memorial Hospital, Rome, NY 13440, USA. cjastremski@romehosp.org
• J Crit Care. 2002 Jun 1; 17 (2): 122-5.

AbstractOne major risk for the critically ill patient is the development of pressure ulcers during the intensive care unit (ICU) stay. These patients have many of the risk factors for the development of pressure ulcers including reduced mobility/activity, medications, neurologic deficits, increasing age, incontinence, decreased mental status, poor nutrition, pressure, shear forces, and friction. Pressure ulcers are known to be costly for the health care system and delay recovery in many patients. Different strategies have been advocated for the prevention of pressure ulcers, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has identified the use of pressure relief bedding as a means to prevent the development of pressure ulcers during hospitalization. The use of pressure relief bedding has received the most research attention to date. The focus of this article is to describe the state of the current research in this area and how this applies to critical care. Development of protocols and guidelines for the use of pressure ulcer preventing strategies are important to improve the quality of care in the ICU. There is still a need to examine the impact of the evidence of pressure ulcer prevention in the ICU and this review should help to build a framework for future research and protocol development.Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

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