Neuro Insights
Learn about the causes of brain aneurysms: high blood pressure, smoking, family history, artery wall weakness, and when to seek urgent care.
Brain aneurysms often form at vessel branches or forks when weak walls of brain arteries bulge outwards. [1][2] Many of these aneurysms may not even cause symptoms unless they grow, press on nerves nearby, leak, or rupture. [1][3] Ruptured aneurysms cause bleeding around the brain, which is a medical emergency also known as a brain hemorrhage. [3]
Brain aneurysms are not always the cause of just one thing. Instead, they develop from a combination of factors like blood pressure fluctuations, lifestyle choices, and genetic risk.
Why Brain Aneurysms Form
Arteries in the brain carry blood under pressure. When the arterial wall becomes thin or weak, the pressure of the blood can push against the wall and cause an outward bulge. [1][2] This outward bulge is known as an aneurysm. The reason aneurysms are more likely to form at branches and forks is that these areas tend to experience more stress from blood flow compared to other arteries in the brain. [2]
Some people are born with a tendency toward having weaker artery walls, while others have weakening walls that develop over time. [1] Doctors consider both genetic and environmental factors when evaluating each patient’s unique aneurysm risk.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is also known as hypertension and is a big risk factor leading to the formation of aneurysms and possibly eventual rupture. [1][2] Persistent elevated blood pressure increases arterial wall weakening, bulging, and finally aneurysmal rupture. [1][3]
Because of this, for patients with a known aneurysm, managing blood pressure is a critical part of preventative care. [3] Your care team can recommend follow-up imaging, medication, and lifestyle changes after considering aneurysm size, location, and patient-specific relative risk profile.
Smoking
Smoking is strongly associated with the development and rupture of aneurysms. [1][2] Tobacco has been shown to play a role in weakening artery walls and contributing to inflammation. [3] Quitting smoking can be one of the most important steps patients can take to lower aneurysm formation/rupture risk. [3][4]
Family History and Genetics
Having a family history of brain aneurysms can increase the risk of developing one in your lifetime. This is especially the case when a parent, sibling, or child has one. [1][2] Risk tends to increase when two or more first-degree relatives have been affected by a brain aneurysm. [2]
Inherited conditions can also play a role. Polycystic kidney disease, Marfan syndrome, and some connective tissue disorders can weaken blood vessels. [1][2] Patients who have a strong family history of brain aneurysms are encouraged to consult healthcare professionals about whether screening is appropriate.
Age, Sex, and Other Risk Factors
While brain aneurysms can occur at any age, they tend to occur in adults between 30 and 60. [1][2] They also tend to occur in women more than men. [1][2]
Lifestyle choices like heavy alcohol use and stimulant use (including cocaine or amphetamines) play a role in increasing risk. A medical history of head injuries, infections involving the arterial wall, or arteriovenous malformations can also play a part. [1][2]
Can Brain Aneurysms Be Prevented?
While not every aneurysm can be prevented, patients can certainly reduce the risk of developing an aneurysm. Controlling risk factors like blood pressure, smoking cessation, alcohol usage, and other proactive strategies all can prove to be pivotal choices in aneurysm prevention. [1][3][4]
When to Seek Emergency Care
Contact 911 immediately if you experience a sudden, severe headache often described by patients as the worst headache of your life. Other indications include neck stiffness, vomiting, confusion, vision changes, weakness, or numbness. All of these can be early signs of a ruptured aneurysm, and urgent action is crucial.
For non-emergency care, patients with a known aneurysm, having a family history of aneurysms, or those with abnormal brain imaging could greatly benefit from evaluation by a neurosurgical specialist. Dr. Abilash Haridas at the Astra Neurosurgical Institute provides expert brain aneurysm care at his practice locations in Los Angeles and Encino.
1. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Cerebral Aneurysms.
2. Mayo Clinic. Brain Aneurysm: Symptoms and Causes.
3. American Stroke Association. Let’s Talk About Stroke and Brain Aneurysms.
4. Cleveland Clinic. Brain Aneurysm: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment.
