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
- Age older than 60
- Cold temperature exposure (hypothermia)
- Dehydration
- Heatstroke
- History of irregular heartbeat
- History of transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke
- Personal or family history of a mental health problem, such as depression or schizophrenia
- Recent head injury
- Recent surgery of the head, brain, neck, heart, or blood vessels
Lifestyle choices
- Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
- Drug abuse or withdrawal
- Occupational exposure to toxins such as fumes, heavy metals, solvents, or pesticides
Medications
- Chemotherapy or radiation therapy
- Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
- Medications to prevent organ transplant rejection
- Recently started a new medication, changed the dosage of a medication, or have suddenly stopped taking a medication
Diseases
- Adrenal disease
- Alzheimer's disease
- Cancer
- Diabetes or low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- Heart disease, such as coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, or heart failure
- High blood pressure
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
- Hydrocephalus
- Kidney failure
- Liver failure
- Lung disease, such as severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or emphysema
- Lupus
- Mental illness, such as schizophrenia or depression
- Multiple sclerosis
- Nutritional deficiency of vitamins B12, B1, or niacin
- Parkinson's disease
- Seizure disorder
- Stroke
- Thyroid disease, such as low thyroid (hypothyroidism) or high thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
Credits
| Author | Jan Nissl, RN, BS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Denele Ivins |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Colin Chalk, MD, CM, FRCPC - Neurology |
| Last Updated | February 27, 2007 |
Author:Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Last Updated: 02/27/2007
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