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Diabetic foot
What's new
Updated 2025 ADA guidelines for the diagnosis and management of diabetic foot .
Background
Overview
Definition
Diabetic foot is a complication of diabetes characterized by a triad of neuropathy, ischemia, and infection.
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Pathophysiology
Diabetic foot is caused due to uncontrolled diabetes leading to the development of peripheral neuropathy (loss of sensation) and PAD (ischemia).
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Disease course
Clinical manifestations due to peripheral neuropathy lead to fissures, bullae, Charcot joint, edema, digital necrosis; and ischemia lead to pain at rest, ulceration on foot margins, digital necrosis, and gangrene. Disease progression may lead to osteomyelitis (chronic discharging sinus and sausage-like appearance of the toe) and gangrene formation that may require amputation.
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Prognosis and risk of recurrence
The all-cause mortality related to diabetic foot ulcer and lower extremity amputation is 42.54 per 1,000 person-years and 86.80 per 1,000 person-years.
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Guidelines
Key sources
The following summarized guidelines for the evaluation and management of diabetic foot are prepared by our editorial team based on guidelines from the American Diabetes Association (ADA 2025) and the Society for Vascular Medicine (SVM/SVS/APMA 2016).
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