Aneurysm Pictures, Overview, & Causes : OmniMedicalSearch.com (Anurism Anuerism Anuerysm) -

An aneurysm is an abnormal bulging or “ballooning” in the walls of blood vessels carrying oxygen rich blood from the heart to various parts of the body. Aneurysms are caused by a weakening of the wall in the arteries, veins, or heart chamber and can occur due to injury, disease, or an abnormality present at birth.

An aneurysm can occur in the arteries of the brain, heart, intestines, abdomen, neck, spleen, back of the knees, thighs and in other parts of the body (1).

About 200,000 people in the US are diagnosed to be suffering from an aneurysm of which, 15,000 die from Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA). It is important to note that ruptured aortic aneurysm is 10th leading cause of death in men above 50 years in the US (1) & (2).

Causes & Risk Factors

1. Atherosclerosis: On aging, a sticky substance called plaque builds up along the inside walls of the arteries and over a period of time excess plaque causes the aorta to harden and narrow the inside of arteries, thus weakening and damaging the arterial walls. This damaged portion of artery can stretch or “balloon” due to blood pressure inside the artery leading to an aneurysm.

2. Hypertension (high blood pressure)

3. Deep wounds, injuries or infections to blood vessels.

4. High cholesterol content in the blood.

5. Inherited disease such as Marfan syndrome (Marfan syndrome affects the body’s connective tissue causing the people to have long bones and flexible joints).

6. Infections such as untreated Syphilis (a sexually transmitted disease), Vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels) and Tuberculosis can cause aneurysms.

7. A severe traumatic fall or car accident can cause a thoracic aortic aneurysm (1), (4) & (5) .

Risk Factors

Major risk factors are as follows:

1. Smoking: A smoker is eight times more at risk as compared to a non-smoker.

2. Overweight or obesity

3. A person with a family history of aortic aneurysm or other arterial disease is at risk of developing aneurysm.

4. Severe and persistent hypertension in people in the age group of 35 to 60 years have a risk of developing cerebral aneurysm.

5. Usage of stimulant drugs such as cocaine (1).

Conditions & Diseases: Cardiovascular System

Aneurysm

Introduction, Causes & Risk Factors

Causes & Risk Factors