A 'cerebral aneurysm' is fatal if it ruptures and usually has no symptoms…blood pressure control and hydration matter in summer
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St. Peter's Hospital 26-07-05 00:00Main content
A 'cerebral aneurysm' is fatal if it ruptures and usually has no symptoms…blood pressure control and hydration matter in summer
Reporter Jang, Jong Ho
Posted 2026-07-05 10:53
(From left) ▲A right middle cerebral artery aneurysm with cerebral hemorrhage (white arrow) ▲The WEB device (black arrows) inserted into the ruptured aneurysm ▲The aneurysm is no longer visible on 9-month follow-up imaging (white arrow).
(From left) ▲A right middle cerebral artery aneurysm with cerebral hemorrhage (white arrow) ▲The WEB device (black arrows) inserted into the ruptured aneurysm ▲The aneurysm is no longer visible on 9-month follow-up imaging (white arrow).
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[Sports Chosun, Reporter Jang Jong-ho] There are conditions that cause no particular symptoms day to day but are fatal the moment they rupture. One is the 'cerebral aneurysm', in which part of the wall of a cerebral blood vessel quietly balloons out. When a cerebral aneurysm ruptures it can lead to serious cerebral hemorrhage such as subarachnoid hemorrhage, and it is counted among the fatal emergency conditions that can cause death or leave neurological sequelae. In fact, about 15% of patients die before reaching hospital when an aneurysm ruptures, and of the remaining patients about 28% die during treatment.
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However, cerebral aneurysms often give no particular warning signs right up until they rupture. Most unruptured cerebral aneurysms cause no symptoms, and only about 10-15% of cases are known to be accompanied by symptoms. Because they are so hard to notice yet so dangerous when they rupture, they are also known as a 'silent time bomb'.
Cerebral aneurysm is therefore a condition whose risk factors need to be checked and managed in advance, before symptoms appear. People who have risk factors that can raise blood pressure, and middle-aged and older adults from their 40s onward whose risk of cardio-cerebrovascular disease is rising, are advised to consult a specialist about whether preemptive testing is needed, even if they have no symptoms.
Professor SUH, Dae Chul of the Department of Neurointervention at St. Peter's Hospital explained, "An unruptured cerebral aneurysm that causes no symptoms is difficult for patients to detect early on their own," adding, "In summer in particular, seasonal factors such as extreme heat and air conditioning cause wide swings in blood pressure, so people at high risk of cerebral aneurysm need to pay closer attention to their cerebrovascular health."
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◇Mostly in the 40s to 60s…rupture can even be fatal
A cerebral aneurysm is a condition in which part of the wall of an artery inside the brain balloons out abnormally. It is most often found in the circle of Willis, the ring of large cerebral arteries at the base of the brain. Most are 10 mm or smaller, but giant cerebral aneurysms of 25 mm or more also occur. By shape and cause they are classified as saccular, shaped like a pouch; fusiform, in which the artery is dilated all around; and dissecting, in which a hematoma forms between the inner and outer layers of the vessel wall.
The prevalence is about 2-4% of the population, and aneurysms are most often found in people in their 40s to 60s. Professor SUH, Dae Chul explained, "The exact mechanism by which cerebral aneurysms develop has not yet been clearly identified, but the main cause is presumed to be damage to the vessel wall and a loss of elasticity as blood flow pressure is applied continuously to an already weakened wall."
When a cerebral aneurysm ruptures and causes a cerebral hemorrhage, the patient experiences an extremely severe headache, as though struck by lightning. Nausea, vomiting and a stiff neck may appear along with it, and in severe cases seizures, reduced consciousness and even cardiac arrest can occur. Rupture of a cerebral aneurysm is also the most common cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage. It occurs in about 10 people per 100,000 each year, and the danger is such that one third of patients die the moment the hemorrhage occurs.
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If symptoms suggesting a ruptured cerebral aneurysm appear, it is important to get to an emergency room quickly. In patients with a ruptured cerebral aneurysm, rebleeding frequently occurs within 24 hours of the first bleed, and the mortality rate can reach 70% when it does, so rapid action is essential. Complications such as vasospasm and hydrocephalus may also accompany it, so diagnosis and treatment should be obtained as quickly as possible.
◇Mostly without symptoms… pre-emptive testing and management of blood pressure changes are needed
The problem, as noted above, is that most unruptured cerebral aneurysms cause no clear symptoms before they burst. Anyone over 40 who has risk factors for cerebral aneurysm such as hypertension, a family history or a smoking history should therefore consult a specialist about undergoing tests such as brain CT, MRI and MRA, even in the absence of symptoms.
In summer it is also important to pay close attention to blood pressure control and hydration. Extreme heat, dehydration and sudden temperature changes can all have a combined effect on blood pressure. Repeated exposure to these factors widens blood pressure fluctuations and can increase the strain on the blood vessels, so people at high risk are advised to manage their condition carefully.
Ruptured cerebral aneurysms have, however, been decreasing every year of late. In the past, aneurysms were often diagnosed only after a rupture had already occurred, but the number of unruptured cerebral aneurysms diagnosed and treated in advance has been rising steadily each year. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, 209,242 patients were treated for unruptured cerebral aneurysm in 2025, about 69% more than the 123,579 recorded in 2020.
When an unruptured cerebral aneurysm is diagnosed, surgery or an endovascular procedure is chosen according to the patient's condition. In the past, aneurysm neck clipping - opening the skull by craniotomy and ligating the neck of the aneurysm directly with a clip - was mainly performed, but a variety of embolization procedures are now also carried out, reaching the cerebral artery through the femoral artery in the groin without an incision and blocking the aneurysm with platinum coils.
Embolization, in which a device is inserted into the blood vessel to block the flow inside and lower the risk of rupture, has been advancing rapidly of late. Among these, embolization using WEB (Woven EndoBridge), a mesh-shaped flow disruptor, is drawing attention as a treatment that makes up for the limitations of coil embolization. The team of Professor SUH, Dae Chul in the Department of Neurointervention at St. Peter's Hospital is likewise continuing related research, including analysis of strategies for using WEB according to the shape of the aneurysm, concentrating on widening the range of what can be treated.
Professor SUH, Dae Chul advised, "The most important thing with a cerebral aneurysm is to manage it before it ruptures," adding, "If an unruptured aneurysm is found in advance, a treatment strategy suited to the patient's condition - follow-up imaging, surgery or an endovascular procedure - can be established to lower the risk of rupture, so active, preemptive management is worth considering."
Reporter Jang, Jong Ho bellho@sportschosun.com
Reporter Jang, Jong Ho
Posted 2026-07-05 10:53
(From left) ▲A right middle cerebral artery aneurysm with cerebral hemorrhage (white arrow) ▲The WEB device (black arrows) inserted into the ruptured aneurysm ▲The aneurysm is no longer visible on 9-month follow-up imaging (white arrow).
(From left) ▲A right middle cerebral artery aneurysm with cerebral hemorrhage (white arrow) ▲The WEB device (black arrows) inserted into the ruptured aneurysm ▲The aneurysm is no longer visible on 9-month follow-up imaging (white arrow).
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[Sports Chosun, Reporter Jang Jong-ho] There are conditions that cause no particular symptoms day to day but are fatal the moment they rupture. One is the 'cerebral aneurysm', in which part of the wall of a cerebral blood vessel quietly balloons out. When a cerebral aneurysm ruptures it can lead to serious cerebral hemorrhage such as subarachnoid hemorrhage, and it is counted among the fatal emergency conditions that can cause death or leave neurological sequelae. In fact, about 15% of patients die before reaching hospital when an aneurysm ruptures, and of the remaining patients about 28% die during treatment.
Advertisement
However, cerebral aneurysms often give no particular warning signs right up until they rupture. Most unruptured cerebral aneurysms cause no symptoms, and only about 10-15% of cases are known to be accompanied by symptoms. Because they are so hard to notice yet so dangerous when they rupture, they are also known as a 'silent time bomb'.
Cerebral aneurysm is therefore a condition whose risk factors need to be checked and managed in advance, before symptoms appear. People who have risk factors that can raise blood pressure, and middle-aged and older adults from their 40s onward whose risk of cardio-cerebrovascular disease is rising, are advised to consult a specialist about whether preemptive testing is needed, even if they have no symptoms.
Professor SUH, Dae Chul of the Department of Neurointervention at St. Peter's Hospital explained, "An unruptured cerebral aneurysm that causes no symptoms is difficult for patients to detect early on their own," adding, "In summer in particular, seasonal factors such as extreme heat and air conditioning cause wide swings in blood pressure, so people at high risk of cerebral aneurysm need to pay closer attention to their cerebrovascular health."
Advertisement
◇Mostly in the 40s to 60s…rupture can even be fatal
A cerebral aneurysm is a condition in which part of the wall of an artery inside the brain balloons out abnormally. It is most often found in the circle of Willis, the ring of large cerebral arteries at the base of the brain. Most are 10 mm or smaller, but giant cerebral aneurysms of 25 mm or more also occur. By shape and cause they are classified as saccular, shaped like a pouch; fusiform, in which the artery is dilated all around; and dissecting, in which a hematoma forms between the inner and outer layers of the vessel wall.
The prevalence is about 2-4% of the population, and aneurysms are most often found in people in their 40s to 60s. Professor SUH, Dae Chul explained, "The exact mechanism by which cerebral aneurysms develop has not yet been clearly identified, but the main cause is presumed to be damage to the vessel wall and a loss of elasticity as blood flow pressure is applied continuously to an already weakened wall."
When a cerebral aneurysm ruptures and causes a cerebral hemorrhage, the patient experiences an extremely severe headache, as though struck by lightning. Nausea, vomiting and a stiff neck may appear along with it, and in severe cases seizures, reduced consciousness and even cardiac arrest can occur. Rupture of a cerebral aneurysm is also the most common cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage. It occurs in about 10 people per 100,000 each year, and the danger is such that one third of patients die the moment the hemorrhage occurs.
Advertisement
If symptoms suggesting a ruptured cerebral aneurysm appear, it is important to get to an emergency room quickly. In patients with a ruptured cerebral aneurysm, rebleeding frequently occurs within 24 hours of the first bleed, and the mortality rate can reach 70% when it does, so rapid action is essential. Complications such as vasospasm and hydrocephalus may also accompany it, so diagnosis and treatment should be obtained as quickly as possible.
◇Mostly without symptoms… pre-emptive testing and management of blood pressure changes are needed
The problem, as noted above, is that most unruptured cerebral aneurysms cause no clear symptoms before they burst. Anyone over 40 who has risk factors for cerebral aneurysm such as hypertension, a family history or a smoking history should therefore consult a specialist about undergoing tests such as brain CT, MRI and MRA, even in the absence of symptoms.
In summer it is also important to pay close attention to blood pressure control and hydration. Extreme heat, dehydration and sudden temperature changes can all have a combined effect on blood pressure. Repeated exposure to these factors widens blood pressure fluctuations and can increase the strain on the blood vessels, so people at high risk are advised to manage their condition carefully.
Ruptured cerebral aneurysms have, however, been decreasing every year of late. In the past, aneurysms were often diagnosed only after a rupture had already occurred, but the number of unruptured cerebral aneurysms diagnosed and treated in advance has been rising steadily each year. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, 209,242 patients were treated for unruptured cerebral aneurysm in 2025, about 69% more than the 123,579 recorded in 2020.
When an unruptured cerebral aneurysm is diagnosed, surgery or an endovascular procedure is chosen according to the patient's condition. In the past, aneurysm neck clipping - opening the skull by craniotomy and ligating the neck of the aneurysm directly with a clip - was mainly performed, but a variety of embolization procedures are now also carried out, reaching the cerebral artery through the femoral artery in the groin without an incision and blocking the aneurysm with platinum coils.
Embolization, in which a device is inserted into the blood vessel to block the flow inside and lower the risk of rupture, has been advancing rapidly of late. Among these, embolization using WEB (Woven EndoBridge), a mesh-shaped flow disruptor, is drawing attention as a treatment that makes up for the limitations of coil embolization. The team of Professor SUH, Dae Chul in the Department of Neurointervention at St. Peter's Hospital is likewise continuing related research, including analysis of strategies for using WEB according to the shape of the aneurysm, concentrating on widening the range of what can be treated.
Professor SUH, Dae Chul advised, "The most important thing with a cerebral aneurysm is to manage it before it ruptures," adding, "If an unruptured aneurysm is found in advance, a treatment strategy suited to the patient's condition - follow-up imaging, surgery or an endovascular procedure - can be established to lower the risk of rupture, so active, preemptive management is worth considering."
Reporter Jang, Jong Ho bellho@sportschosun.com