General risks |
Sensory impairment |
Acute illness |
Chronic illness |
Hypoxia or very low blood pressure |
Extremes of age |
Low level of consciousness |
Psychological status |
Vascular disease |
Malnutrition/dehydration |
Chronic skin condition |
History of previous pressure damage |
Medication (e.g. analgesia, chronic steroid therapy, cytotoxins) |
Extrinsic factors |
Closely fitting headgear and over-tightened straps |
Poorly fitted masks and headgear (i.e. too big or too small, too old or wrong style) |
Mechanical forces: pressure, shear or friction from the interface |
Allergy to the cushion |
Other factors |
Skin damage: dry, flaky, excoriated, discoloured or macerated skin |
Oedema |
Shape and size of nose/face |
Time period that mask pressure is applied |
Inability to self-manage the mask |