Bedsores, also known as pressure sores or decubitus ulcers, are a
breakdown and ulceration of tissue due to a combination of the
weight of the body on the surface of the skin and the friction of a
resistant surface such as a bed. Areas where bony prominences are
less padded by muscle and fat, such as the hip bones, tailbone and
heels of the feet, are most susceptible to bedsores. Non-mobile
patients are vulnerable to the formation pressure sores when left
lying for long periods of time in the same prone position.
Review Date: 11/22/2010
Reviewed By: Richard J. Moskowitz, MD, Private Practice, Mineola, NY. Review
provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David
Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
