What Are the Causes of Brain Aneurysms?
A brain aneurysm occurs when a blood vessel in the brain gets weak and widens, causing it to balloon. According to Cedars-Sinai Health System, approximately 10 million Americans suffer from brain aneurysms. Out of those 10 million people, 10 out of every 100,000 will experience a ruptured aneurysm, or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Forty percent of people diagnosed with a subarachnoid hemorrhage will die within one month. There are many different causes of brain aneurysms, many of which are preventable.
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Symptoms
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Brain aneurysms may go unnoticed because they are usually asymptomatic. If symptoms do appear, they usually cause problems with the eyes such as vision problems, pain and inability to move one eye. When an aneurysm ruptures, the first sign is usually an immediate, severe headache. The following symptoms are: nausea, neck stiffness, sensitivity to light, vomiting, confusion, seizures, inability to move an extremity, inability to walk, dizziness, inability to speak and even coma.
Heredity
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Certain hereditary conditions can cause brain aneurysms. Ehlers-Danlos is an inherited connective tissue disorder that weakens the blood vessels, therefore making a person more susceptible to an aneurysm. Polycystic kidney disease is an inherited disease that increases blood pressure, therefore putting the person at higher risk for a brain aneurysm.
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Smoking
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Smoking is bad for just about every part of your body, including your brain. When you smoke, you are putting dangerous chemicals such as nicotine and tar into your body. These chemicals build up over time and can deposit themselves inside the blood vessels, causing them to become narrow. The pressure of the blood flowing through the narrow blood vessels can cause them to expand, ultimately creating an aneurysm.
High Blood Pressure
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High blood pressure creates turmoil within the arterial walls, weakening them and making them more likely to rupture. The constant flow of blood pumping through the weakened arteries causes them to enlarge, creating a bulge. The aorta is where most cases of aneurysms occur. This is mainly due to the fact that it is the largest artery in the body. Aneurysms aren't limited to the aorta, however, as they can occur in any artery in the body.
Diagnosis
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If your doctor suspects that you may be suffering from a brain aneurysm, he will most likely order a CT scan of your head. This test will detect a ruptured aneurysm in over 90 percent of the time. A more advanced test involves performing a spinal tap to check for blood in the cerebrospinal fluid. If the tests determine that there is blood present in the cerebrospinal fluid, an angiography is performed. This is done by inserting a small tube into one of the brain's arteries and injecting dye through the tube. Pictures are taken, either by CT or MRI scans, determining the location of the aneurysm.
Treatment
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Treatment of an aneurysm involves repairing the blood vessel. There are two treatment options, which are coiling and clipping. Coiling is a procedure in which an interventional radiologist fills the aneurysm with latex or coils of platinum wire. This is done through a small, flexible tube that is inserted in the artery. Clipping must be performed by a neurosurgeon because the skull has to be opened in order to place a clip on the aneurysm. Both of these procedures work by preventing blood from entering the aneurysm.
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References
- Photo Credit Rodrigo Galindo: sxu.hu
