Zinc supplementation should be provided to patients with wounds.

Zinc supplementation should be provided to patients with wounds.

• A. Of any and all types
• B. Who are suspected to have a zinc deficiency
• C. Who are elderly
• D. Who have below normal zinc levels

Answer: (B)

Zinc is essential for wound healing, supporting processes like collagen formation and immune function. Because supplementation helps healing mainly when zinc is deficient, the appropriate approach is to give zinc to patients with wounds who are suspected to have a deficiency rather than to everyone with a wound. This targeted strategy avoids giving zinc to those with normal levels and reduces the risk of imbalance or toxicity, such as copper deficiency, from unnecessary supplementation. If you guess without any risk factors or signs, you might oversupply; if you wait for definite lab proof, you could delay healing in someone who is truly deficient. The other options are less appropriate because they either generalize to all wound patients, rely solely on a demographic, or require lab-confirmed low zinc before considering therapy.

Zinc is essential for wound healing, supporting processes like collagen formation and immune function. Because supplementation helps healing mainly when zinc is deficient, the appropriate approach is to give zinc to patients with wounds who are suspected to have a deficiency rather than to everyone with a wound. This targeted strategy avoids giving zinc to those with normal levels and reduces the risk of imbalance or toxicity, such as copper deficiency, from unnecessary supplementation. If you guess without any risk factors or signs, you might oversupply; if you wait for definite lab proof, you could delay healing in someone who is truly deficient. The other options are less appropriate because they either generalize to all wound patients, rely solely on a demographic, or require lab-confirmed low zinc before considering therapy.