The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first shockwave device indicated for patients with #diabeticfoot ulcers. Marketed as the Dermapace System, the device uses a handheld probe to deliver high-energy pulses similar to sound waves to the wound’s surface. According to the manufacturer, Sanuwave Health Inc, of Alpharetta, Georgia, the device increases perfusion and arteriogenesis, angiogenesis, biofilm disruption, and growth factor upregulation, which help regenerate skin and musculoskeletal and vascular structures. Treatment consists of 4 to 8 brief, noninvasive applications given over 2 to 10 weeks. Monitoring and usual care are required afterward. The device is indicated for adults with diabetes who have foot ulcers lasting more than 30 days. The FDA noted that about 25% of people with diabetes will develop a foot ulcer. Poor circulation or a foot infection that doesn’t respond to treatment sometimes results in amputation.

Caregivers and nurses understand the importance of well-chosen words

Social relationships are consistently associated with biomarkers of health. Positive indicators of social well-being may be associated with lower levels of interleukin-6 in otherwise healthy people. Interleukin-6 is an inflammatory factor implicated in age-related disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and some forms of cancer. Some grandparents feel that caring for their grandchildren makes them healthier and more active. They experience a strong emotional bond and often lead a more active lifestyle, eat healthier meals, and may even reduce or stop smoking. Social isolation constitutes a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality, especially in older adults. Loneliness may have a physical as well as an emotional impact. For example, people who are lonely frequently have elevated systolic blood pressure. Loneliness is a unique risk factor for symptoms of depression, and loneliness and depression have a synergistic adverse effect on well-being in middle-aged and older adults.