Why an unruptured brain aneurysm may go undetected

While not everyone is a fan of reality TV, it can be difficult to avoid information surrounding the Kardashian family. Recently, news of a brain aneurysm diagnosis for Kim Kardashian of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” fame set social media afire.

On a clip for the upcoming season of the popular show, the reality star, actress and businesswoman shared that an MRI revealed that she had a “little aneurysm,” which she attributed to stress.

A brain aneurysm, also known as a cerebral aneurysm, is a weak area in a brain artery that fills with blood, which can put pressure on brain tissue and nerves. It can burst, or hemorrhage, releasing blood into the brain and surrounding area, which can lead to a stroke, brain damage, coma and even death.

“In the brain, you have multiple arteries that run up through the neck and eventually branch off into multiple small arteries and feed blood to the brain,” says Dr. Sunil Jeswani, a neurosurgeon with Sharp Community Medical Group and affiliated with Sharp Grossmont Hospital. “An artery is like rubber tubing. Sometimes, the wall of the ‘rubber tubing’ can become weak over time and start to ‘balloon out.’”

That ballooning is an aneurysm, Dr Jeswani explains. As the balloon expands and the wall continues to weaken, it can rupture, causing a catastrophic hemorrhage in the brain.

Brain aneurysm symptoms

According to Dr. Jeswani, more than 3% of the general population experiences a brain aneurysm, and many are often unaware they have it, as there are often no symptoms. “An aneurysm will commonly be found after it ruptures or during an autopsy after the patient has died,” he says.

However, if an unruptured brain aneurysm causes symptoms, they may include:

• Pain above and behind the eye

• Numbness

• Weakness

• Paralysis on one side of the face

• Increased eye pupil size

• Vision changes or double vision

“These are all warning signs that there is an aneurysm brewing in the brain that may rupture soon,” Dr. Jeswani says. “If the aneurysm ruptures, the classic symptoms are sudden and severe headache that many people will describe as ‘the worst headache’ of their life. Unfortunately, about 20 to 25% of patients won't even make it to the hospital.”

Brain aneurysm risk factors

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), cerebral aneurysms can be caused by genetics, certain medical conditions and lifestyle choices. Risk factors include:

• Being female, with the risk increasing after menopause

• Having a parent, sibling or child with a history of brain aneurysms

• Being age 30 to 60

• Having high blood pressure, high cholesterol, connective tissue disorders, diabetes or polycystic kidney disease

• Smoking or using drugs, especially cocaine or amphetamines

While Kim Kardashian stated that she believed stress caused her brain aneurysm, experts do not traditionally list stress as a direct cause. However, Dr. Jeswani reports that stress can lead to high blood pressure, a known risk factor for aneurysms.

“If you are experiencing any of the possible symptoms or have brain aneurysm risk factors, talk with your doctor,” Dr. Jeswani says. “There are tests that can be performed to detect aneurysms, and treatments are available, if needed.”

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