Common Risk Factors And Causes Of Cystitis

Certain Medications

An individual who has taken certain medications can develop cystitis as a result of their treatment. Drugs used in chemotherapy have been known to cause the onset of cystitis in affected individuals. These are potent drugs that enter the body, create waste products, and are broken down before the kidneys filter them from the blood. Just like anything else, what goes in the body must come out. These drug components and the waste products they produce are filtered into the individual's urine, which sits in the bladder until it is ready to be emptied. These substances cause irritation and even damage to the cells lining the bladder in this process of bodily elimination. Drugs commonly implicated in this mechanism are ifosfamide and cyclophosphamide. Drugs that cause an impairment of the healthy bladder emptying process and flow of urine can increase the risk of developing cystitis. Immunosuppressive medications may be used in individuals with autoimmune disorders to help minimize the symptoms of their disorder, but increase their vulnerability to pathogens that cause bladder infections. Immunosuppressant drugs are also used in individuals who have received an organ transplant to prevent donor organ rejection. An impaired immune system due to medication can increase the risk of cystitis.

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Complication Of Other Conditions

Cystitis can develop in an affected individual as a complication of other conditions. Such conditions include those that interfere with the healthy function of an individual's immune system and the function of organs in the urinary system. The larger weight and size of a woman's uterus during pregnancy can inhibit the complete emptying of the urine. Numerous injuries and diseases may cause spinal cord damage around an individual's bladder, preventing complete drainage of urine from the bladder. Urine that sits in the bladder persistently due to impaired bladder emptying can provide a favorable place for bacteria to colonize. This mechanism is also a factor in individuals affected by an enlarged prostate, kidney stones, or any other problem that inhibits the normal flow of urine. Urinary tract abnormalities such as vesicoureteral reflux and numerous others can promote the growth of infection-causing bacteria in the bladder. Urinary catheter use and bowel incontinence can pose a hygienic issue that enables the entry of bacteria in the bladder. Diseases that impair an individual's immune system function can cause them to be at a higher risk of developing cystitis, including HIV, AIDS, diabetes, cancers, Crohn's disease, and common variable immune deficiency.

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