What may increase your risk for a problem from a head injury?
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
- A mental health disorder or a history of mental illness
- Mental retardation with the inability to control muscles
- Previous brain surgery
- A previous head injury or concussion
Lifestyle choices
- Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
- Drug abuse or withdrawal
- Having firearms in the home
- Not taking routine safety precautions, such as use of seat belts or head protection when playing contact sports, motion sports (such as skiing, snowboarding, rafting, kayaking), or while using open vehicles (such as bicycles, motorcycles, ATVs)
- Participating in high-risk activities, such as football, soccer, boxing, and sky diving
Medications
- ASA
- Anticoagulants, such as warfarin (Coumadin) or heparin
- Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
- Medications to prevent organ transplant rejection
- Medications used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Advil
Diseases
- Cancer, especially a brain tumour
- Hemophilia
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
- Liver disease
- Seizure disorder, such as epilepsy
- Neuromuscular diseases, such as cerebral palsy or Parkinson's.
| Author: | Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC | Last Updated: September 15, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine | |
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