Diabetics are 15 times more likely than members of the general public to have a lower limb amputated, according to a recent study by the British organizaiton Diabetes UK. The study, reported by BBC News, found that 70 percent of those losing a limb died within five years of the amputation. In many cases, however, amputation would not have been necessary if patients had received appropriate foot care.

According to Diabetes UK Chief Executive Douglas Smallwood, 40 percent of amputations could have been avoided with effective foot care. Diabetics are at high risk for amputations because the disease causes circulatory damage, nerve damage, and foot ulcers. Concern over other complications of diabetes, such as deteriorating vision, may cause diabetics to ignore foot problems, but it shouldn't, say the experts. Foot problems should receive medical attention immediately to avoid more serious complications down the road. For more information on managing diabetes, go online to www.diabetes.org.uk.