Introduction to Aneurysms
Kim Kardashian has been diagnosed with a small aneurysm in her brain, she revealed Thursday in the season premiere of “The Kardashians.”
“There’s, like, a little aneurysm,” Kardashian says in the episode, over footage of her going into an imaging scan.
"Woah," her sister Kourtney Kardashian Barker responds.
Kardashian didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Here’s what to know about aneurysms.
What is an Aneurysm?
An aneurysm occurs when an artery swells into a balloonlike shape. It happens when blood pumping through the blood vessel stretches out weak or thin artery walls.
Aneurysms can occur anywhere in the body, but they are most commonly in the aorta, the body’s largest blood vessel, which carries blood out of the heart.
If an aneurysm ruptures, it can cause severe problems, even death. But having an aneurysm doesn’t necessarily mean it will rupture.
Aneurysms are “more common than you think,” and people can spend their entire lives with one without any complications, said Dr. Nina Moore, a neurosurgeon at the Cleveland Clinic.
Most aneurysms are asymptomatic, unless they’re pushing on nerves or undergoing changes in shape, and are therefore not routinely checked for, Moore said.
Because of that, it’s difficult to say how many people have aneurysms.
“A lot of the natural history studies may not actually know the full incidence rate of how many aneurysms there are because we don’t just screen everyone,” she said. “If we screened everyone, I’m sure we’d find a lot more.”
The American Heart Association estimates 3% to 5% of the U.S. population has brain aneurysms.
There are no recommendations for aneurysm screenings in all adults. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends men ages 65 to 75 who have smoked get one-time screenings for aortic aneurysms.
What Causes a Brain Aneurysm?
A number of conditions cause weakened arteries that can lead to aneurysms in the brain, known as cerebral aneurysms.
Brain aneurysms are more common in women, with the risk increasing after menopause, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Most brain aneurysms occur in adults ages 30 to 60.
“The most well-described risk factors include a predisposition [family history of aneurysm], high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, inflammation,” said Dr. Laura Stein, an associate professor of neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
What Happens if a Brain Aneurysm Ruptures?
If a brain aneurysm ruptures, it can cause stroke, brain damage, coma or even death.
It can also cause extreme pain: People describe it as “the worst headache of their life” or a “thunderclap headache,” Moore said.
An aneurysm’s size and location determine how deadly it is. The most fatal ruptured aneurysms are in the brain, killing around a third of patients, she said.
“When it’s a blood vessel that’s in the head and it bleeds, there’s a much higher risk of having a very bad problem just because the brain is enclosed in a fixed space,” she said.
Aneurysms in the front of the brain are less fatal, she noted.
Can Brain Aneurysms be Treated?
Aneurysms are found through medical imaging tests, including CT scans, MRIs or ultrasounds.
If doctors find an aneurysm, they first assess how problematic it will be — in other words, how likely it is to rupture.
If the aneurysm is found in a healthy patient and doesn’t show any high-risk features, doctors will monitor it and check for signs of growth or other abnormalities over time.
Stein said most people with brain aneurysms find them “incidentally,” not because they’re looking for them.
“It’s a very common incidental finding for most people. They never have symptoms from it, and they die with it, but not because of it,” she said.
If an aneurysm is considered high-risk or it bursts, Moore said, there is a “whole array of treatment options.”
Doctors can clamp an intact aneurysm and stop blood flow to the bubble, restoring the blood vessel wall. They can also repair the wall by inserting a graft.
When an aneurysm bursts, Moore said, clamping or coiling — filling the bubble with wire — are effective treatments.
Stein said that people with family histories of aneurysms should get routine screenings and that people shouldn’t get routine screenings if they don’t fit that criterion.
“In the general population, they’re so infrequently symptomatic,” Stein said. “We don’t treat asymptomatic intracranial [brain] aneurysms. We watch them with scans to ensure that they don’t change over time. And most people do not need any intervention for their intracranial aneurysm.”
Conclusion
Kim Kardashian’s diagnosis with a small aneurysm in her brain has brought attention to this potentially life-threatening condition. While aneurysms can be asymptomatic and may not rupture, it’s essential to understand the risks and treatment options available. By being aware of the causes, symptoms, and treatment options, individuals can take proactive steps to monitor their health and seek medical attention if necessary.
FAQs
- Q: What is an aneurysm?
A: An aneurysm occurs when an artery swells into a balloonlike shape, often due to weak or thin artery walls. - Q: What are the risk factors for brain aneurysms?
A: Risk factors include family history, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, and inflammation. - Q: What happens if a brain aneurysm ruptures?
A: A ruptured brain aneurysm can cause stroke, brain damage, coma, or even death. - Q: Can brain aneurysms be treated?
A: Yes, aneurysms can be treated through medical imaging tests, monitoring, and surgical interventions such as clamping or coiling. - Q: Who should get routine screenings for aneurysms?
A: People with family histories of aneurysms should get routine screenings, while others may not need routine screenings unless they exhibit symptoms or high-risk features.
