ABOUT THE CONDITION BRAIN ANEURYSM

WHAT IS A BRAIN ANEURYSM?

A cerebral or brain aneurysm is a bulge or ballooning in an artery in the brain caused by weakness in the blood vessel wall.

Untreated brain aneurysms may have risk of rupture, resulting in what’s called hemorrhagic or cerebral stroke. The annual rate of rupture is approximately 8–10 per 100,000 people, or about 30,000 people in the United States.^1,2

It is slightly more common in women than men, especially those who are in their late 40s to mid-50s. However, an aneurysm may occur at any age.³

Brain aneurysms are more common than you may think.
An estimated 1 in 50 people has a brain aneurysm.^1,3

TYPES OF BRAIN ANEURYSMS

The types of brain aneurysms can be classified by both size and shape.⁴

SYMPTOMS OF BRAIN ANEURYSM

In cases of small and unchanging brain aneurysms, there can be no symptoms. However, as an aneurysm grows larger, it can put pressure on surrounding tissues and nerves, causing neurologic symptoms sometimes called mass effect.¹

Symptoms of UNRUPTURED ANEURYSMS include (but are not limited to):¹

• Sudden and severe headache often described as “the worst headache of my life”
• Dilated pupils
• Blurred or double vision
• Pain above or behind the eye
• Weakness/numbness on one side of the face
• Difficulty speaking
• Nausea, vomiting

If not treated, a brain aneurysm can continue to expand and eventually rupture.¹

CAUSES OF BRAIN ANEURYSM: ARE YOU AT RISK?

A brain aneurysm can result from a congenital defect, some inherited diseases, or other degenerative conditions, such as hypertension (high blood pressure) or atherosclerosis (fat buildup inside the arteries, often leading to heart attack or stroke). Other risk factors include cigarette smoking, cocaine use, blood vessel wall infection, and head trauma.^1,3

There is no known way to prevent brain aneurysms.⁷