Samenvatting van de standaard 'Decubitus' van het Nederlands Huisartsen Genootschap

- The guideline ‘Decubitus’ published by the Dutch College of General Practitioners contains guidelines with instructions for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of pressure ulcers in primary care.

- The classification used for severity is: redness of the skin, superficial damage, superficial ulcer, deep ulcer. This classification follows the one used internationally and the one in the consensus of the Dutch Institute for Health Care Improvement CBO.

- For each patient who becomes (totally or partly) immobile measures to prevent pressure ulcers are necessary, with emphasis on minimizing pressure and shearing forces acting upon the skin. After a pressure ulcer has developed these measures remain important.

- Guidelines for treatment are given for each level of severity of the pressure ulcer; the main aim is to keep the ulcer moist, to remove necrosis and exudate and to treat infection.