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Aneurysm

An aneurysm is a bulge or weakness in a blood vessel (artery or vein) wall. Aneurysms usually get bigger over time. Because of that, they have the potential to rupture and cause life-threatening bleeding. Aneurysms can occur in arteries in any location in your body. The most common sites include the abdominal aorta and the arteries at the base of the brain.

Cause

An aneurysm can result from atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the inside of arteries). As atherosclerosis develops, the artery walls become thick and damaged and lose their normal inner lining. This damaged area of artery can stretch or "balloon" from the pressure of blood flow inside the artery, resulting in an aneurysm.

An aneurysm also can develop from constant high blood pressure inside an artery.

A thoracic aortic aneurysm can result from an injury to the chest (for example, an injury that occurs from an auto crash). Certain medical conditions, such as Marfan syndrome, that weaken the body's connective tissues, also can cause aneurysms.

In rare cases, infections such as untreated syphilis (a sexually transmitted infection) can cause aortic aneurysms. Aortic aneurysms also can occur as a result of diseases that cause inflammation of blood vessels, such as vasculitis.

Symptoms
An aneurysm may have no symptoms (asymptomatic) until it is either very large or it ruptures. Symptoms depend on which blood vessel is affected.

Different types of aneurysms include:

* Cerebral aneurysm - this occurs in a blood vessel in the brain. The aneurysm may appear like a tiny blood-filled grape attached to the blood vessel by a stalk. This is known as a saccular or berry aneurysm. These can sometimes form in clusters. Symptoms of a cerebral aneurysm include severe headache with rapid onset, neck pain and stiffness, increasing drowsiness, paralysis, seizures, impaired speech and visual problems. Cerebral aneurysms are more likely in the elderly.

* Thoracic aortic aneurysm - this affects the aorta in the chest. Symptoms include pain in the chest, back and neck, coughing, breathlessness, swallowing difficulties, hoarseness of the voice, swelling of the arms, and a constricted pupil and drooping of the eyelid affecting one eye. In many cases, a thoracic aortic aneurysm is asymptomatic and is discovered by accident during medical examinations for an unrelated condition.

* Abdominal aortic aneurysm - this affects the aorta in the abdomen. Symptoms include pain in the lower back, abdominal swelling, nausea, vomiting, rapid heart rate (tachycardia), sweating and the sensation of a pulse in the abdomen.

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