Blood pressure swings in the heat…cerebral aneurysms need extra care in summer [e-Health Quick Take]
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Gangnam St. Peter's Hospital 26-06-27 06:00Main content
There is a condition that gives no sense of anything being wrong day to day yet threatens life in an instant: the cerebral aneurysm, in which part of a cerebral blood vessel balloons out. It mostly causes no symptoms and is hard to detect, but because rupture can lead to fatal cerebral hemorrhage, early detection and management of the risk factors are important.
A cerebral aneurysm is a state in which the wall of a cerebral blood vessel weakens and part of it dilates abnormally. It arises mainly in the circle of Willis, the group of major vessels at the base of the brain. Most are 10 mm or smaller, but giant aneurysms that grow to 25 mm or more can also appear. There are various types according to shape, including saccular, fusiform and dissecting.
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. The cause has not been clearly established, but it is thought that continuous blood flow pressure on an already weakened vessel wall gradually causes the vessel to balloon out. Hypertension, smoking and family history are cited as the main risk factors.
The problem is that most unruptured cerebral aneurysms cause no symptoms at all. Only about 10-15% are accompanied by symptoms, so many patients find them incidentally during a health screening or only learn of the condition after rupture.
If a rupture occurs, a severe headache can appear together with nausea, vomiting and neck stiffness, and in severe cases it can lead to reduced consciousness, seizures and cardiac arrest. Rupture of a cerebral aneurysm is the most common cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage; the risk of rebleeding within 24 hours of the first hemorrhage is high, and if rebleeding occurs the mortality rate reaches 70%.
Particular care is required in summer, because heat waves, dehydration and large differences between indoor and outdoor temperatures can increase swings in blood pressure and place a burden on the blood vessels. People with high blood pressure, smokers and those at high risk with a family history should drink enough water and pay attention to managing their blood pressure.
Professor SUH, Dae Chul of Interventional Neuroradiology at St. Peter's Hospital explained, “What matters most with a cerebral aneurysm is managing it while it is still unruptured, but an unruptured aneurysm causes no symptoms and is hard to detect early,” adding, “In summer in particular, seasonal factors such as heat waves and air conditioning make swings in blood pressure large, so people at high risk of cerebral aneurysm need to take a more active interest in their cerebrovascular health.”
A cerebral aneurysm is a state in which the wall of a cerebral blood vessel weakens and part of it dilates abnormally. It arises mainly in the circle of Willis, the group of major vessels at the base of the brain. Most are 10 mm or smaller, but giant aneurysms that grow to 25 mm or more can also appear. There are various types according to shape, including saccular, fusiform and dissecting.
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. The cause has not been clearly established, but it is thought that continuous blood flow pressure on an already weakened vessel wall gradually causes the vessel to balloon out. Hypertension, smoking and family history are cited as the main risk factors.
The problem is that most unruptured cerebral aneurysms cause no symptoms at all. Only about 10-15% are accompanied by symptoms, so many patients find them incidentally during a health screening or only learn of the condition after rupture.
If a rupture occurs, a severe headache can appear together with nausea, vomiting and neck stiffness, and in severe cases it can lead to reduced consciousness, seizures and cardiac arrest. Rupture of a cerebral aneurysm is the most common cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage; the risk of rebleeding within 24 hours of the first hemorrhage is high, and if rebleeding occurs the mortality rate reaches 70%.
Particular care is required in summer, because heat waves, dehydration and large differences between indoor and outdoor temperatures can increase swings in blood pressure and place a burden on the blood vessels. People with high blood pressure, smokers and those at high risk with a family history should drink enough water and pay attention to managing their blood pressure.
Professor SUH, Dae Chul of Interventional Neuroradiology at St. Peter's Hospital explained, “What matters most with a cerebral aneurysm is managing it while it is still unruptured, but an unruptured aneurysm causes no symptoms and is hard to detect early,” adding, “In summer in particular, seasonal factors such as heat waves and air conditioning make swings in blood pressure large, so people at high risk of cerebral aneurysm need to take a more active interest in their cerebrovascular health.”