How can you get aneurysms

A sudden, severe headache is the key symptom of a ruptured aneurysm. This headache is often described as the "worst headache" ever experienced. In some cases, an aneurysm may leak a slight amount of blood.

This leaking sentinel bleed may cause only a:. An unruptured brain aneurysm may produce no symptoms, particularly if it's small. However, a larger unruptured aneurysm may press on brain tissues and nerves, possibly causing:. If you're with someone who complains of a sudden, severe headache or who loses consciousness or has a seizure, call or your local emergency number. Brain aneurysms develop as a result of thinning artery walls.

Aneurysms often form at forks or branches in arteries because those sections of the vessel are weaker. Although aneurysms can appear anywhere in the brain, they are most common in arteries at the base of the brain. And the challenge with rupture is that it's unpredictable. Bernard Bendok says a ruptured aneurysm is a medical emergency that can cause life-threatening bleeding in the brain.

Fast treatment is essential. Bendok says 1 to 2 percent of the population have aneurysms, and only a small percentage of that group will experience a rupture.

People who have a family history of aneurysms, have polycystic kidney disease, connective tissue disease, and people who smoke are at increased risk of rupture, and should consider screening.

If a rupture happens, fast treatment can save lives. A number of factors can contribute to weakness in an artery wall and increase the risk of a brain aneurysm or aneurysm rupture. Brain aneurysms are more common in adults than in children and more common in women than in men.

Some types of aneurysms may occur after a head injury dissecting aneurysm or from certain blood infections mycotic aneurysm. Selected conditions that date to birth can be associated with an elevated risk of developing a brain aneurysm. These include:. When a brain aneurysm ruptures, the bleeding usually lasts only a few seconds. The blood can cause direct damage to surrounding cells, and the bleeding can damage or kill other cells. It also increases pressure inside the skull. If the pressure becomes too elevated, the blood and oxygen supply to the brain may be disrupted to the point that loss of consciousness or even death may occur.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage from a ruptured brain aneurysm can disrupt the balance of sodium in the blood. This may occur from damage to the hypothalamus, an area near the base of the brain. A drop in blood-sodium levels hyponatremia can lead to swelling of brain cells and permanent damage.

Brain aneurysm care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. If you have experienced a severe headache or have any other symptoms related to a ruptured aneurysm your doctor will order tests to determine if blood has leaked into the space between the skull bone and brain.

Several tests are available to diagnose brain aneurysms and determine the best treatment. These include:. Aneurysms may rupture and bleed into the space between the skull and the brain subarachnoid hemorrhage and sometimes into the brain tissue intracerebral hemorrhage. These are forms of stroke called hemorrhagic stroke. The bleeding into the brain can cause a wide spectrum of symptoms, from a mild headache to permanent damage to the brain, or even death.

Aneurysm bleeding can cause seizures convulsions , either at the time of bleed or in the immediate aftermath. While most seizures are evident, on occasion they may only be seen by sophisticated brain testing. Untreated seizures or those that do not respond to treatment can cause brain damage. Not all cerebral aneurysms require treatment.

Some very small unruptured aneurysms that are not associated with any factors suggesting a higher risk of rupture may be safely left alone and monitored with MRA or CTA to detect any growth. It is important to aggressively treat any coexisting medical problems and risk factors. Treatments for unruptured cerebral aneurysms that have not shown symptoms have some potentially serious complications and should be carefully weighed against the predicted rupture risk.

Treatment considerations for unruptured aneurysms A doctor will consider a variety of factors when determining the best option for treating an unruptured aneurysm, including:. Treatments for unruptured and ruptured cerebral aneurysms Surgery, endovascular treatments, or other therapies are often recommended to manage symptoms and prevent damage from unruptured and ruptured aneurysms.

Surgery There are a few surgical options available for treating cerebral aneurysms. These procedures carry some risk such as possible damage to other blood vessels, the potential for aneurysm recurrence and rebleeding, and a risk of stroke. Other treatments Other treatments for a ruptured cerebral aneurysm aim to control symptoms and reduce complications. These treatments include:.

Rehabilitative therapy. Individuals who have suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage often need physical, speech, and occupational therapy to regain lost function and learn to cope with any permanent disability. About 25 percent of individuals whose cerebral aneurysm has ruptured do not survive the first 24 hours; another 25 percent die from complications within 6 months. People who experience subarachnoid hemorrhage may have permanent neurological damage.

The cause sometimes remains unknown. Complications with aneurysms Depending on the location of the aneurysm, some of the possible complications of an untreated aneurysm include: blood clots within the aneurysm compression of nearby nerves, if the aneurysm is large enough blood leaking out of the intact aneurysm into the walls of the artery dissecting aneurysm impaired blood circulation beyond the point of the aneurysm haemorrhage in the layers of tissue surrounding the brain subarachnoid haemorrhage water on the brain hydrocephalus stroke epilepsy paralysis congestive heart failure heart attack kidney failure sudden death.

Diagnosis of an aneurysm An aneurysm is diagnosed using a number of tests including: physical examination x-rays ultrasound scans computed tomography CT scans or CT angiograms magnetic resonance imaging MRI or MR angiograms digital subtraction angiograms examination of cerebrospinal fluid for a diagnosis of a subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Treatment for an aneurysm Treatment for an aneurysm depends on its location and severity, but may include: Cerebral aneurysm — is repaired either by coils or stent insertion, or by surgery where the aneurysm has been clipped. If the aneurysm has ruptured, then you will need to stay in hospital for up to 21 days because of potential complications, including vasospasm and hydrocephalus. Around one third of all people who experience a ruptured cerebral aneurysm die, and less than 30 per cent get back to a pre-rupture state.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm — requires drugs to control high blood pressure and surgery to repair the aneurysm if necessary. Sometimes, the nearby heart valve may also need fixing during the operation. Most people with a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm die within minutes. Abdominal aortic aneurysm — requires drugs to control high blood pressure and surgery to repair the aneurysm if necessary. The mortality rate is more than 50 per cent if the aneurysm ruptures.

Surgical repair of aneurysms If the aortic aneurysm is less than five cm wide, it is usually left untreated, but closely monitored in case it gets bigger. Where to get help Your doctor Emergency department of your nearest hospital In an emergency, always call triple zero Things to remember An aneurysm is an abnormal swelling or bulge in the wall of a blood vessel, such as an artery.

Cerebral aneurysm, Victorian Brain and Spinal Centre. Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful? Yes No. The normal diameter of the aorta is between 2 and 3 centimeters cm but can bulge to beyond 5 cm with an aneurysm.

The most common aneurysm of the aorta is an abdominal aortic aneurysm AAA. This occurs in the part of the aorta that runs through the abdomen. Without surgery, the annual survival rate for an AAA of over 6 cm is 20 percent.

AAA can rapidly become fatal, but those that survive the transfer to a hospital have a 50 percent chance of overall survival. Less commonly, a thoracic aortic aneurysm TAA can affect the part of the aorta running through the chest. TAA has a survival rate of 56 percent without treatment and 85 percent following surgery. It is a rare condition, as only 25 percent of aortic aneurysms occur in the chest. Aneurysms of the arteries that supply the brain with blood are known as intracranial aneurysms.

A ruptured aneurysm of the brain can be fatal within 24 hours. Forty percent of brain aneurysms are fatal, and around 66 percent of those who survive will experience a resulting neurological impairment or disability. Ruptured cerebral aneurysms are the most common cause of a type of stroke known as subarachnoid hemorrhage SAH.

An aneurysm can also occur in a peripheral artery. Types of peripheral aneurysm include :. Not all cases of unruptured aneurysm need active treatment. When an aneurysm ruptures, however, emergency surgery is needed.

The doctor may monitor an unruptured aortic aneurysm, if no symptoms are evident. Medications and preventive measures may form part of conservative management, or they may accompany active surgical treatment.

A ruptured aneurysm needs emergency surgery. Without immediate repair, patients have a low chance of survival. The decision to operate on an unruptured aneurysm in the aorta depends on a number of factors related to the individual patient and features of the aneurysm. A large or rapidly growing aortic aneurysm is more likely to need surgery. There are two options for surgery:.

In endovascular surgery, the surgeon accesses the blood vessels through a small incision near the hip. Stent-graft surgery inserts an endovascular graft through this incision using a catheter. The graft is then positioned in the aorta to seal off the aneurysm. In an open AAA repair, a large incision is made in the abdomen to expose the aorta. A graft can then be applied to repair the aneurysm.

In the case of a brain aneurysm, the surgeon will normally operate only if there is a high risk of rupture.