BRMC to Host Education Program with Dr. Ernesto Rivera

Brownwood News – (contributed) Brownwood Regional Medical Center and Ernesto Rivera, MD Interventional Cardiologist of Heart of Texas Heart Associates, will host a Community Education Program on Peripheral Vascular Disease and Diabetic Foot Ulcers. The program will be held on Thursday, December 5, at 2 pm in the Meeting Room on the 2^nd Floor of the Outpatient Center off Streckert Drive.

People with diabetes may develop varied foot problems from simple-looking feet problems to more complex problems that may lead to serious complications.

Diabetes has multiple ramifications and one of the most common problems is poor blood circulation in the body due to narrowed and hardened blood vessels This renders the body weak and unable to fight infections quickly. A poor blood circulation is a form of vascular disease in which blood flow in the body is inefficient.

Nerve damage reduces the sensitivity to foot pain resulting in painless wounds causing ulcer. The identification mark of ulcers is drainage from the affected area or sometimes noticeable lump that is not always painful.

Poor circulation makes it more difficult for ulcers to heal. Blood sugar management is very critical as high sugar levels result in slowing down of the healing process. Dry skin is also common in diabetes which may cause a person’s feet to be more prone to cracking, calluses, corns, and bleeding wounds.

Several causes of Diabetic Foot conditions include: Poor circulation, High blood sugar (hyperglycemia), Nerve damage and irritated or wounded feet. All people with diabetes are at risk for foot ulcers, which can have multiple causes.

Multiple treatment solutions are available for treating diabetic foot concerns. The arteries suffer damage and carry blood clots. This further complicates regular blood flow and one of the ways to open the arteries is to implant a stent. The process, time and recovery are much faster with advanced technologies.

The major benefit of stents is that the chances of leg or foot amputation can possibly be circumvented. This takes care of the misconception that diabetic foot is untreatable or will lead to leg or foot amputation. The arterial Dilatation, angioplasty and/or stenting in the diabetic foot is the most promising solution so far.

Dr. Rivera joined the BRMC Medical Staff in July 2019.