Martorell hypertensive leg ulcer is a painful ischemic ulcer on the lower extremity caused by long-standing, uncontrolled hypertension. Many patients also have diabetes mellitus. This condition was previously thought to affect women aged 50-70 years, but an older mean age and lack of female predominance have been described in more recent studies.

Martorell ulcer is thought to be due to subcutaneous arteriosclerosis that develops as a result of increased peripheral vascular resistance occurring in the setting of chronic hypertension. This leads to diminished arteriolar blood flow to the skin, followed by ischemia and ulceration.

Martorell ulcers are often underdiagnosed: a prospective cohort of 59 patients demonstrated a mean duration before diagnosis of 11 weeks and the wound extending to a mean surface area of 19 cm.

Related topic: Ischemic ulcer