Management of patients with venous ulcers in the community setting.

Venous ulcers, a chronic disabling condition, present a complex management challenge to the interdisciplinary team in the community setting. The incidence of venous ulcers is increasing as the population ages with such comorbidities as congestive heart failure (CHF), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), obesity, and others. Disability associated with venous ulcers may increase caregiver burden in accomplishing the patient's activities of daily living (ADL), and handicap may exist from difficulty in community participation because of impaired mobility. Venous hypertension, the primary culprit in venous ulcerations, must be managed with an arsenal of strategies to control the underlying condition, heal the wound, and prevent recurrence.