Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medications, and diseases
interfere with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for
a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be
sure to tell your health professional.
Conditions
- Being older than 60
- Having had a
recent blood transfusion
- Nutritional deficiencies, such as
deficiencies of vitamins C, K, or B12, or folic
acid
- Pregnancy
- Widespread infection that causes the buildup of toxin in the
blood or tissues (sepsis)
Lifestyle choices
- Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
- Drug abuse or withdrawal
- High-risk sexual
behavior
- Smoking or other tobacco use
Medications
- Anticoagulants, such as aspirin, enoxaparin
(Lovenox), heparin, or warfarin (Coumadin)
- Corticosteroids,
such as prednisone
- Estrogens, such as in hormone replacement
therapy or oral contraceptives
- Medications to prevent organ transplant
rejection
- Medications to treat cancer
(chemotherapy)
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such
as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen
- Radiation therapy
Diseases
- Autoimmune diseases, such as
lupus
- Bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia or von Willebrand's
disease
- Cancer
- Decreased blood flow (venous
insufficiency)
- Diabetes
- Eating disorders, such as
anorexia or bulimia
- Heart failure
- Human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic
purpura (ITP)
- Kidney disease
- Liver
disease
- Malabsorption
syndromes
- Malnutrition
- Multiple sclerosis
(MS)
- Spinal cord injury
- Stroke
