Which statement best describes a pressure ulcer?

Which statement best describes a pressure ulcer?

• A. A tissue lesion caused by friction on the skin.
• B. A mild skin irritation due to heat.
• C. Tissue injury and breakdown caused by unrelieved pressure on the skin, preventing blood flow.
• D. A temporary swelling of the skin.

Answer: (C)

Pressure ulcers happen when you have sustained external pressure that compresses blood vessels in the skin and underlying tissue, especially over bony areas. That prolonged compression reduces blood flow, causes tissue ischemia, and leads to injury and breakdown of the skin and deeper tissues. Friction or moisture can make things worse, but the defining factor is unrelieved pressure causing poor perfusion. The other descriptions don’t capture this mechanism. Friction can contribute to skin damage, but a pressure ulcer is driven by prolonged pressure and reduced blood supply rather than just surface rubbing. Heat-related irritation is dermatitis, not a pressure-induced injury. Temporary swelling points to edema or inflammation, not the tissue breakdown from sustained pressure over time. Preventing pressure ulcers focuses on relieving pressure, regular repositioning, protective supports, and maintaining skin moisture and nutrition to support tissue health.

Pressure ulcers happen when you have sustained external pressure that compresses blood vessels in the skin and underlying tissue, especially over bony areas. That prolonged compression reduces blood flow, causes tissue ischemia, and leads to injury and breakdown of the skin and deeper tissues. Friction or moisture can make things worse, but the defining factor is unrelieved pressure causing poor perfusion.

The other descriptions don’t capture this mechanism. Friction can contribute to skin damage, but a pressure ulcer is driven by prolonged pressure and reduced blood supply rather than just surface rubbing. Heat-related irritation is dermatitis, not a pressure-induced injury. Temporary swelling points to edema or inflammation, not the tissue breakdown from sustained pressure over time.

Preventing pressure ulcers focuses on relieving pressure, regular repositioning, protective supports, and maintaining skin moisture and nutrition to support tissue health.