This condition can affect any artery in the body, which manifests with the appearance of a balloon-shaped blister in an artery as a result of the weakening of the arterial walls that are pushed out by blood pressure.
Depending on the level of dilation, an aneurysm can burst and cause life-threatening bleeding.
They usually occur in the brain, causing a stroke that can result in death, and in the aorta, either at the thoracic or abdominal level, with the risk of fatal cardiovascular consequences.
In the case of brain aneurysms, they usually appear between the brain and the tissue that covers it, causing a subarachnoid hemorrhage when it bursts, leading to a hemorrhagic stroke, which is a medical emergency that needs immediate attention.
Many times brain aneurysms do not burst and do not have symptoms or complications, so they are usually detected by accident when tests are performed for other reasons. Once detected, treatment is focused on preventing a possible rupture later on.
The direct causes of their appearance have not yet been determined, but it is known that they affect older women more and that there are a series of potential risks that have been identified as possible triggers:
- Head injuries.
- Infections.
- Alcoholism.
- Smoking.
- Drug addiction.
- High blood pressure.
In the case of birth factors, these are associated with the presence of various conditions such as:
- Arterial malformations.
- Having family members who have had an aneurysm.
- Aortic narrowing
- Ehlers Danlos syndrome.
- Polycystic kidney disease.
