Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Diverticulitis risk factors
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Risk factors for diverticulitis include older age, obesity, genetic predisposition, connective-tissue disorders (polycystic kidney disease, Marfan syndrome, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome), hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and use of NSAIDs, corticosteroids, and opioids.[1]
Risk Factors
Risk Factors
Risk factors for the recurrence of diverticulitis
Recurrence of diverticulitis has been reported to occur in 20% of patients with previous episodes of diverticulitis.[2] Risk factors for diverticulitis include the following:[3][4]
- Diverticulosis itself is a risk factor for recurrence
- Multiple diverticula
- Older age
- Obesity
- Genetic predisposition
- Polycystic kidney disease
- Marfan syndrome
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
- Hypertension
- Family history of diverticulitis
- Having a large portion of infected colon
- NSAIDs
- Corticosteroids
- Opioids
References
References
- ↑ Peery AF, Wilson GC, Crockett SD. Diverticulitis: A Review. JAMA. 2025;333(2):158-168. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.23427.
- ↑ Peery AF (2016). “Recent Advances in Diverticular Disease”. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 18 (7): 37. doi:10.1007/s11894-016-0513-1. PMID 27241190.
- ↑ Levy MJ, Osterkamp RL, Glauninger K, Strate LL. Diverticulosis morphology is associated with risk of diverticulitis. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024 Apr 1;36(4):382-386. doi: 10.1097/MEG.0000000000002717. Epub 2024 Feb 28. PMID: 38417057; PMCID: PMC10914328.
- ↑ Peery AF, Shaukat A, Strate LL. AGA Clinical Practice Update on Medical Management of Colonic Diverticulitis: Expert Review. Gastroenterology. 2021 Feb;160(3):906-911.e1. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.09.059. Epub 2020 Dec 3. PMID: 33279517; PMCID: PMC7878331.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ahmed Elsaiey, MBBCH [2] James Nasr[3]