IntroductionA pressure ulcer (PU) is localized tissue damage in the dermis and subdermis caused by compression, friction, shearing, and other factors (1). It is commonly encountered in all hospitalized patients, especially those in intensive care units (ICUs) (2). The incidence of PU was found to increase from 4% to 49% in Denmark and vary from 38% to 24% in Germany (3) and from 14% to 42% in the United States (4,5). Studies from Turkey showed that the incidence of PU varied between 15% and 29% (6-8).Mobilization, sensorial perceptions, and consciousness in patients in ICUs are impaired due to the administration of sedative and anesthetic agents (9-11). It has been shown that vasopressin administered to maintain sufficient cardiac output in ICUs leads to constriction in the capillary circulation, which prevents oxygen and blood supply to the skin. This creates a risk of PU (12). Changes in metabolism resulting from such conditions as major surgery, burns, major trauma, and sepsis in ICUs increase the risk of PU development (9-13). In addition, the risk of PU is increased due to impairment of hemodynamic status, cardiovascular diseases, circulatory failure, impaired oxygenation, diabetes mellitus, anemia, infection, edema, catabolic disorders, and pressure (4,10,11,14). In a systematic review, it was reported that PU is not caused by a single factor, but rather develops due Background/aim: This study aimed to determine the incidence of pressure ulcers in patients on mechanical ventilation and selected risk factors likely to play a role in pressure ulcer development.
Materials and methods:The study included 110 patients recruited from an anesthesia critical care unit of a university hospital. Data were collected with a demographic and clinical characteristics form. The form was composed of questions about demographic characteristics and clinical features including diagnosis, duration of mechanical ventilation, general well-being, oxygenation, perfusion, and skin condition.
Results:The incidence of pressure ulcer was 15.5%. Duration of mechanical ventilation was longer and the body mass index was higher in patients developing pressure ulcers than in those without pressure ulcers. Additionally, 90.11% of patients with pressure ulcers had edema and 82.35% of patients with pressure ulcers received vasopressin. The patients with pressure ulcers had higher PH levels, lower PaO2 levels, higher PCO2 levels, lower SaO2 levels, and higher urine output.
Conclusion:It can be recommended that nurses and other health professionals should be aware of factors playing a role in pressure ulcer development and should be able to conduct appropriate interventions to prevent pressure ulcers.