| Pressure ulcers can diminish global life quality, contribute to rapid mortality in some patients and pose a signifcant cost to health‑care
organizations. Accordingly, their prevention and management are highly important. Nutritional deprivation and insuffcient dietary intake
are the key risk factors for the development of pressure ulcers and impaired wound healing. Unplanned weight loss is a major risk factor for
malnutrition and pressure ulcer development. Suboptimal nutrition interferes with the function of the immune system, collagen synthesis,
and tensile strength. No laboratory test can exactly defne an individual’s nutritional status. Although serum albumin, prealbumin, transferrin,
and retinol‑binding protein as well as anthropometric measures such as height, weight, and body mass index and the other laboratory values
may be suitable to establish the overall prognosis, still they might not well represent the nutritional status. Although the ideal nutrient intake
to encourage wound healing is unknown, increased needs for energy, protein, zinc, and Vitamins A, C, and E and also amino acids such as
arginine and glutamine have been documented. Hydration plays a vital role in the preservation and repair of skin integrity. Dehydration
disturbs cell metabolism and wound healing. Adequate fluid intake is necessary to support the blood flow to wounded tissues and to prevent
additional breakdown of the skin. The main aim of the present article is to review the current evidence related to hydration and nutrition for
bedsore prevention and management in adults |