Formulary
Zinc sulfate: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Zinc sulfate clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Zinc sulfate: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Zinc sulfate clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
Indications and dose
**Zinc deficiency or supplementation in zinc-losing conditions**
- **Child** (By Mouth Using Effervescent Tablets): (body-weight 31 kg and above) 45 mg 1-3 times a day, dose to be adjusted as necessary, to be dissolved in water and taken after food, dose expressed as elemental zinc.
- **Adult** (By Mouth Using Effervescent Tablets): (body-weight 31 kg and above) 45 mg 1-3 times a day, dose to be adjusted as necessary, to be dissolved in water and taken after food, dose expressed as elemental zinc.
**Additional elemental zinc**
- **Adult** (By Intravenous Injection): for intravenous nutrition 6.5 mg daily (Zn 2+ 100 micromol).
**Zinc deficiency or supplementation in zinc-losing conditions for zinc sulfate**
- **Neonate** (By mouth using effervescent tablets): 1 mg/kg daily, dose expressed as elemental zinc, to be dissolved in water and taken after food.
- **Child (body-weight up to 10 kg)** (By mouth using effervescent tablets): 22.5 mg daily, dose to be adjusted as necessary, to be dissolved in water and taken after food, dose expressed as elemental zinc.
- **Child (body-weight 10-30 kg)** (By mouth using effervescent tablets): 22.5 mg 1-3 times a day, dose to be adjusted as necessary, to be dissolved in water and taken after food, dose expressed as elemental zinc.
- **Child (body-weight 31 kg and above)** (By mouth using effervescent tablets): 45 mg 1-3 times a day, dose to be adjusted as necessary, to be dissolved in water and taken after food, dose expressed as elemental zinc.
**Acrodermatitis enteropathica for zinc sulfate**
- **Neonate** (By mouth using effervescent tablets): 0.5-1 mg/kg twice daily, dose to be adjusted as necessary, total daily dose may alternatively be given in 3 divided doses, dose expressed as elemental zinc.
- **Child** (By mouth using effervescent tablets): 0.5-1 mg/kg twice daily, dose to be adjusted as necessary, total daily dose may alternatively be given in 3 divided doses, dose expressed as elemental zinc.
Contraindications
Copper deficiency
Side effects
Frequency not known Copper deficiency; diarrhoea; gastritis; gastrointestinal discomfort; nausea; vomiting
Pregnancy
Crosses placenta; risk theoretically minimal, but no information available.
Breast feeding
Present in milk; risk theoretically minimal, but no information available.
Renal impairment
Use with caution (accumulation may occur in renal failure). M
Medicinal forms
Solution
Clinical governance
**Author:** MedNext Clinical Team. **Clinical reviewer:** Dr Shameer Deen, MBBS, MS, MRCS. **Sources:** BNF, Indian Pharmacopoeia, CIMS India. **Correction:** Report errors at support@mednext.academy.
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