What Increases Your Risk

You are more likely to get pneumonia if you:

• Smoke. Cigarette smoking is the strongest risk factor for pneumonia in healthy young people.²
• Have another medical condition, especially lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma.
• Are younger than 1 year of age or older than 65.
• Have an impaired immune system.
• Take medicine called a proton pump inhibitor (such as Prilosec or Protonix) that reduces the amount of stomach acid.^{3, 4}
• Drink excessive amounts of alcohol.
• Recently had a cold or the flu.

You are more likely to have complications of pneumonia and may need to go to the hospital if you:

• Are older than 65.
• Have some other illness (such as COPD, diabetes, or asthma), or have gone to the hospital for a medical problem within the last 3 months.
• Have had your spleen removed or do not have a working spleen (such as in sickle cell disease).
• Have an alcohol use problem.
• Have a weak immune system.
• Reside in a place where people live close together, such as a college dorm or nursing home.