Gangrene in the United States - Research Paper Example

Gangrene in the United States Introduction Gangrene is a critically life threatening condition caused by the death of tissue in a body part. Usually, this disease may occur following an injury or infection, or as a result of chronic health issue related to blood circulation. As a result of such issues, blood supply is restricted to tissues which in turn may result in cell death. Medical practitioners say that diabetes and long term smoking increase the chance of developing gangrene. Gangrene has become a threatening health issue in the United States over these years. This paper will discuss the biological as well as social aspects of this disease giving specific focus to the United States where the illness is highly endemic. Microbiological Aspects Serious injuries, diabetes, and long term smoking can cause this disease. Physicians believe that blood vessel diseases like arteriosclerosis increase an individual’s risk for gangrene. In addition, surgeries and suppressed immune system resulting from issues like HIV or chemotherapy may lead to the development of gangrene in individuals. Clostridium perifringens is a gangrene causing bacteria. Finally, trauma is also a potential cause of this disease. The symptoms of gangrene may vary in accordance with the location and cause of the disease. If the affected area is close to the skin, the symptoms may be foul-smelling discharge and loss of feeling sensation in that particular area. In addition, discoloration is another major symptom of gangrene. The affected region will be turned black or blue if the skin is affected whereas it will become red or bronze in color if the affected location is beneath the skin. Symptoms like fever, low BP, severe pain, confusion, and generally ill feeling may be appeared if the gangrene affected location is inside the body. In severe cases, amputation of the affected body part is the only treatment for gangrene. Sometimes, emergency operations are performed to increase bloody supply to the affected area and to locate and remove dead tissues. In some other cases, antibiotics can treat the disease. Social Aspects Gangrene is more common in old population as they are prone to health problems like diabetes and blood vessel diseases. A Medical News Today report indicates that in US, the gangrene victims’ average age was 72 years in 2003; and in addition, 56 percent of affected individual were men in the same year. This disease is found all over the world despite socio-economic differences. The geographic distribution of gangrene causing bacteria (Clostridium perifringens) is worldwide. There are several types of gangrene such as dry gangrene, wet gangrene, Fournier’s gangrene and gas gangrene. It has been identified that the geographic distribution of gangrene slightly depends on the types. To illustrate, according to a study of 1726 Fournier’s gangrene cases performed by Eka, most of them have been reported in USA and Canada. At the same time, gas gangrene was found rare in the United States (only 1,000 to 3,000 cases are being reported each year). As noted in Acha and Szyfres, gas gangrene is more prevalent in wartime than peace time. According to this finding, 100,000 German soldiers died from gangrene during the time of World War I. (87). Severe injuries and trauma are the major causes increasing the prevalence rate of gangrene during wartime. Gangrene in the US The U.S Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports that “the number of Americans hospitalized for treatment of gangrene increased from 21,000 in 1993 to 45,400 in 2003” (as qtd in Medical News Today). Statistical data indicate that mortality rate of individuals hospitalized with gangrene is nearly 6 to 7 percent in the country. This rate will be increased to about 20 to 25 percent if the affected individual becomes septic; and if proper treatment is given to victims at the early stages of the disease, then only 15-20% people need some form of amputation (‘Gangrene’). It was estimated that millions of US people have been affected by dry gangrene. In many cases, long term tobacco smoking and diabetes are reported as the major causes of gangrene in the country. Considering the higher incidence rates of gangrene in the country, the US Federal government has taken several steps to address this issue. Prevention Methods In United States, diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death and this disease in turn is a major cause leading to gangrene. Therefore, the US considers the reduction of diabetes prevalence rate as a better way to achieve notable outcomes in the two distinct health areas. Hence, the US healthcare authorities persuade diabetic patients to have regular checks for examining any sign of cuts, infection, or redness (“How can gangrene be prevented?” ). They also suggest the patients to treat burns or wounds immediately to prevent infection. Majority of developed countries including US try to prevent this disease also by inhibiting the use of tobacco among people. Clinical practitioners assert that it is possible to prevent gangrene if the affected person is treated before the tissue damage becomes irreversible. Therefore, most of the heath organizations focus on the early detection of this health problem. This practice will also be helpful to prevent complex procedures like amputation. Countries like UK encourage people to lose weight as this strategy is a better way to reduce the risk of diabetes and arterial problems. Conclusion From the above discussion, it is clear that gangrene is a life threatening health issue worldwide, particularly in the United States. There are several types of gangrene and they are variably reported in different parts of the globe. This disease is more common in old population. Diabetes, blood vessels problems, and long term tobacco consumption are the major causes of gangrene. Statistical reports indicate that the number of gangrene affected individuals is alarmingly growing in the United States. The country is trying to address this issue by giving particular focusing to care delivery for diabetic patients. Works Cited Acha, Pedro. N and Szyfres, Boris. Zoonoses Volume 1.Pan American Health Org, 2001. Print. Eka, N. Fournier’s Gangrene: A review of 1726 Cases. British Journal of Surgery. (2000. 87: 718-728). Web 27 Feb 2013 Gangrene. Financial Intelligence. Web 27 Feb 2013 How can gangrene be prevented? MedicineNet.com. web 27 Feb 2013 Medical News Today. Hospital cases of gangrene have increased dramatically, USA. Oct 2005. Web 27 Feb 2013 Read More