The role of the community clinician in early detection, referral and treatment of critical limb ischaemia.
Smith, et. al. Br J Community Nurs. 2014 Jun;19(6):266-72
Abstract
Critical limb ischaemia (CLI) is a significant public health issue worldwide, with an ever-growing incidence among people over 65. Awareness of CLI is low, particularly among non-vascular clinicians, leading to underdiagnosis and undertreatment. A diagnosis of CLI is known to have a grave effect on a person's quality of life, with devastating outcomes for both their life and limb, often resulting in uncontrolled pain, amputation or early death from a cardiovascular event. Community nurses and podiatrists are key clinicians who can play a crucial and active role in earlier identification, rapid referral and ongoing non-surgical care for this overlooked population.
Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24902054