The 'silent time bomb' to watch after 40, cerebral aneurysm…blood pressure control matters in summer
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Gangnam St. Peter's Hospital 26-06-23 09:04Main content
There is a condition that progresses without any particular symptoms and, the moment it ruptures, can lead to fatal cerebral hemorrhage: the cerebral aneurysm, in which part of the wall of a brain blood vessel balloons out.
When a cerebral aneurysm ruptures it can cause serious cerebral hemorrhage such as subarachnoid hemorrhage, and it is an emergency condition that can result in death or neurological sequelae. In fact, some patients with a rupture die before reaching hospital, and a high mortality rate is also reported during treatment.
The problem is that most unruptured cerebral aneurysms progress without any particular symptoms. Only about 10-15% are accompanied by symptoms, so a considerable number of patients are found incidentally during a health screening or while being examined for another condition.
A cerebral aneurysm is a state in which part of the wall of an artery inside the brain weakens and balloons out abnormally. It arises mainly in the circle of Willis, the group of major vessels at the base of the brain, and is divided into several types according to size and shape. The prevalence is known to be about 2-4% of the whole population, and it is found mainly in people in their 40s to 60s.
Professor SUH, Dae Chul of Interventional Neuroradiology at St. Peter's Hospital explained, "The exact cause of cerebral aneurysm is still not clearly understood, but the main cause is thought to be damage to the vessel wall and loss of elasticity as blood flow pressure is applied continuously to an already weakened wall."
When a cerebral aneurysm ruptures, a sudden and severe headache can appear. It is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, neck stiffness and reduced consciousness, and in severe cases can lead to seizures or cardiac arrest. The risk of rebleeding is especially high within 24 hours of the first hemorrhage, so anyone with suspicious symptoms should go to the emergency room immediately.
Specialists advise that people aged 40 and over with risk factors such as hypertension, smoking or a family history should consider a cerebrovascular examination even if they have no symptoms. Unruptured cerebral aneurysms can be identified with brain CT, MRI and MRA.
Professor Suh said, "An unruptured cerebral aneurysm causes no symptoms, so it is hard for patients to detect it early on their own," adding, "In summer in particular, heat waves and air conditioning can widen swings in blood pressure, so high-risk groups need to take even greater care of their cerebrovascular health."
In summer, dehydration and abrupt temperature changes can affect blood pressure, so drinking enough water and managing blood pressure are important. Repeated changes in blood pressure can place a burden on the blood vessels, so everyday vascular health care is needed.
Recently, wider health screening and advances in radiological examination have increased the number of unruptured cerebral aneurysms detected. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, there were 209,242 patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysm in 2025, a sharp increase on 2020.
Treatment is decided by taking the size and location of the aneurysm and the risk of rupture into account together. In the past, neck clipping through a craniotomy was mainly performed, but recently endovascular treatments such as coil embolization, which reaches the aneurysm through the blood vessels, have been widely used. Embolization using a WEB (Woven EndoBridge) device to block blood flow is also being applied more widely.
Professor Suh said, "With a cerebral aneurysm, finding and managing it before it ruptures matters more than treating it after rupture," adding, "If an unruptured aneurysm is found early, a treatment strategy suited to the patient's condition — follow-up monitoring, an endovascular procedure or surgery — can be set to lower the risk of rupture."
Source: Health Digest (https://www.ikunkang.com)
When a cerebral aneurysm ruptures it can cause serious cerebral hemorrhage such as subarachnoid hemorrhage, and it is an emergency condition that can result in death or neurological sequelae. In fact, some patients with a rupture die before reaching hospital, and a high mortality rate is also reported during treatment.
The problem is that most unruptured cerebral aneurysms progress without any particular symptoms. Only about 10-15% are accompanied by symptoms, so a considerable number of patients are found incidentally during a health screening or while being examined for another condition.
A cerebral aneurysm is a state in which part of the wall of an artery inside the brain weakens and balloons out abnormally. It arises mainly in the circle of Willis, the group of major vessels at the base of the brain, and is divided into several types according to size and shape. The prevalence is known to be about 2-4% of the whole population, and it is found mainly in people in their 40s to 60s.
Professor SUH, Dae Chul of Interventional Neuroradiology at St. Peter's Hospital explained, "The exact cause of cerebral aneurysm is still not clearly understood, but the main cause is thought to be damage to the vessel wall and loss of elasticity as blood flow pressure is applied continuously to an already weakened wall."
When a cerebral aneurysm ruptures, a sudden and severe headache can appear. It is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, neck stiffness and reduced consciousness, and in severe cases can lead to seizures or cardiac arrest. The risk of rebleeding is especially high within 24 hours of the first hemorrhage, so anyone with suspicious symptoms should go to the emergency room immediately.
Specialists advise that people aged 40 and over with risk factors such as hypertension, smoking or a family history should consider a cerebrovascular examination even if they have no symptoms. Unruptured cerebral aneurysms can be identified with brain CT, MRI and MRA.
Professor Suh said, "An unruptured cerebral aneurysm causes no symptoms, so it is hard for patients to detect it early on their own," adding, "In summer in particular, heat waves and air conditioning can widen swings in blood pressure, so high-risk groups need to take even greater care of their cerebrovascular health."
In summer, dehydration and abrupt temperature changes can affect blood pressure, so drinking enough water and managing blood pressure are important. Repeated changes in blood pressure can place a burden on the blood vessels, so everyday vascular health care is needed.
Recently, wider health screening and advances in radiological examination have increased the number of unruptured cerebral aneurysms detected. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, there were 209,242 patients with unruptured cerebral aneurysm in 2025, a sharp increase on 2020.
Treatment is decided by taking the size and location of the aneurysm and the risk of rupture into account together. In the past, neck clipping through a craniotomy was mainly performed, but recently endovascular treatments such as coil embolization, which reaches the aneurysm through the blood vessels, have been widely used. Embolization using a WEB (Woven EndoBridge) device to block blood flow is also being applied more widely.
Professor Suh said, "With a cerebral aneurysm, finding and managing it before it ruptures matters more than treating it after rupture," adding, "If an unruptured aneurysm is found early, a treatment strategy suited to the patient's condition — follow-up monitoring, an endovascular procedure or surgery — can be set to lower the risk of rupture."
Source: Health Digest (https://www.ikunkang.com)