Bed sores, which afflict up to one-tenth of hospital patients, heal more quickly when key supplements are added to a standard hospital diet, reports new research from Australia. The treatment of pressure ulcers, caused by pressure, friction and moisture, is estimated to cost as much as £3m per year in a typical 600-bed general hospital, and an annual £1.4bn to £2.1bn across the UK – equivalent to 4 per cent of total National Health Service (NHS) spending.The new study divided 16 inpatients aged 37 to 92, into three groups, for a three-week period. One group ate a standard hospital diet, the second was additionally given a high-protein/energy supplement, and the third was further supplemented with arginine (9g), vitamin C (500 mg), and zinc (30 mg).
