Aneurysm And Its Underlying Causes
Aneurysm is a condition wherein a person’s blood vessels has ballooned or becomes highly diluted. Usually, the vessels swell to more than 50 percent of its normal diameter. And more often than not, it can cause death instantly. The more swollen the blood vessels are, the higher is its possibility to break out or burst.
Aortic aneurysm occurs on two most common blood vessels the arteries found at the base of the brain and the aorta, the heart’s biggest artery. While it is true that aneurysm can occur in any of the body’s blood vessel, it is far more common in attacking these two areas.
There are two types of aneurysm, true aneurysm and false aneurysm. In true aneurysm, the three layers of the blood vessel are observed to become inflamed. The three layers are adventitia, media, and intima. Hypertension, infections, or congenital malformations are the prime causes of true aneurysm.
On the other hand, false aneurysm can be cause by trauma. False aneurysm is characterized by the inflammation of only one layer of the blood vessel, the adventitia. An example of traumas that can bring about false aneurysm is the complication of certain arterial procedures that needs to be done to the body in response to an entirely different medical condition.
Aneurysm has two known risks blood clotting and ruptures. Ruptures can possibly lead to a drop in one’s blood pressure. It will also cause faster heartbeat. The person with ruptured blood vessels will also feel lightheaded for a definite period of time.
Blood clots that are caused by arterial aneurysm have the ability to suffocate one’s tissues. Because of this, the person will feel pain and numbness on the affected body part. If that pain is ignored, a more severe condition will come about. So severe that amputation may be necessary.
Aneurysm has several risk factors and it includes insomnia, alcoholism, tobacco smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes. If you have Marfan syndrome, which is a disorder in the connective tissues, aneurysm is most likely to develop in you too.
Extreme cases of cerebral aneurysm produce the following symptoms: severe headache, vision impairment, nausea, vomiting, and loss of consciousness. But take note that mild aneurysm has no symptoms at all, so the onset of the more severe case of aneurysm can strike quite suddenly. And it can really be alarming at that.
Brain aneurysm can be treated by invasive surgery. The surgery is required so that the other potential risks associated with the disease are eliminated. This surgery is called craniotomy. It is a special surgical operation directed to the skull. In the procedure, the bone flap is removed so that there will be means to get through the brain, and eventually to the affected blood vessel. After the surgery, a titanium clip is placed around the patient’s neck for protective purposes.
Peripheral aneurysm is the kind of aneurysm that happens when the blood vessels that deliver blood to the limbs and head are affected. This condition is milder than the brain aneurysm. But just the same, surgery is required. To treat it, the weakened portions of the blood vessels are replaced with artificial tubes. This procedure is called grafting. Today, the grafts used are metallic ones and are inserted through the blood vessels or arteries.
To prevent aneurysm, it is a must that a person’s general blood pressure is given proper attention. People who are more prone to it should stop smoking altogether because it can trigger the attacks. One’s cholesterol levels should also be reduced dramatically.
The people who are most at risk to this disease are men aged 65 years old and above. For the group of men that proves to be more prone to it, ultrasound scans are proposed to so as screen their conditions. This is very helpful to prevent the inception of the disease.
