Clinical practice guidelines: prediction and prevention of pressure ulcers.

Prevention, as well as effective early treatment and intervention, provides an opportunity for both reducing financial costs and improving the quality of life for the patients involved. The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR), therefore, has developed clinical practice guidelines concerning the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. The Guidelines target four overall goals: Identify at-risk individuals who need prevention and the specific factors that place them at risk; maintain and improve tissue tolerance to pressure in order to prevent injury; protect against the adverse effects of external mechanical forces (pressure, friction, shear); and reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers through educational programs.