User:Mr. Ibrahem/Aneurysm

An aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge, most commonly, in an artery. Often initially no symptoms are present. When symptoms do occur, they depend on the location of the aneurysm and may include headache, abdominal pain, back pain, and circulatory shock. Complications may include clot formation or rupture.

Risk factors include family history, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, and injury of the blood vessel. While any artery may be affected, they most commonly occur in the aorta (AA). Other types include brain, popliteal artery, mesenteric artery, coronary artery, and splenic artery. Diagnosis is based on medical imaging.

Management may include lifestyle changes and surgery. When surgery is recommended depends on the artery in question. Repair of AAAs is generally recommended at greater than 5 cm, while brain aneurysms are generally repaired if they are 7 mm or larger in size or involve the posterior circulation. Aneurysms in the arms are generally repaired as soon as discovered while those in the legs are repaired when the size is twice normal.

Brain aneurysms affect about 4% of people, while aortic aneurysms affect about 2.5%. Older people are more likely to be affected. Descriptions of what are believed to be aneurysms occur in ancient Egyptian and Indian texts. The word is from ἀνεύρυσμα, aneurysma, meaning "wide".