Chronic wounds are rising in prevalence and creating significant socioeconomic burdens for patients and healthcare systems worldwide. Therefore, it is now more important than ever that clinicians follow evidence-based guidelines for wound care when developing personalized treatment plans for their patients with chronic wounds. Evidence-based guidelines for treating venous leg ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and pressure ulcers, the 3 main categories of chronic wounds, focus primarily on biologic therapies. However, there are also evidence-based guidelines for treating behavioral risks to poor healing, such as smoking, which should be incorporated into treatment plans when appropriate. The purpose of this article was to review the mechanisms through which smoking adversely impacts the wound healing process, and propose strategies for incorporating evidence-based guidelines for treating tobacco dependence into treatment plans for patients with chronic wounds who smoke.
The CE test for this article is available online only at the journal website, jwocnonline.com, and the test can be taken online at NursingCenter.com/CE/JWOCN.
Jodi C. McDaniel, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus.
Kristine K. Browning, PhD, Assistant professor, clinical nursing College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus.
Correspondence: Jodi C. McDaniel, PhD, RN, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, 372 Newton Hall, 1585 Neil Ave, Columbus, OH 43210 (mcdaniel.561@osu.edu).
The authors declares no conflict of interests.