Arterial aneurysms are swellings that occur in arteries and are more common than venous aneurysms due to higher blood pressure. They can be asymptomatic but can rupture, causing serious health problems. Abdominal aortic aneurysms and popliteal artery aneurysms are common types. Brain aneurysms can cause severe damage. Managing blood pressure is important to prevent growth and rupture.
In medicine, an arterial aneurysm is a projection, or swelling, that develops in the wall of an artery. Arterial aneurysms occur in arteries, which are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. These are much more common than venous aneurysms, similar swellings that occur in the veins, which carry blood towards the heart. The fact that arterial aneurysms are more common than venous aneurysms can be attributed to the significantly higher blood pressure that occurs in arteries compared to veins.
An arterial aneurysm occurs more commonly in older people, especially in men. High blood pressure is closely related to an increased risk of aneurysms. Most aneurysms are small and asymptomatic and do not cause serious health problems.
The main threat posed by an arterial aneurysm is that the blood vessel can eventually rupture. If this occurs, the tissues being supplied with blood by the affected artery will be starved of the nutrients and, critically, the oxygen they need. Rupture usually occurs only when an aneurysm has become very large. Therefore, it is important that patients who have an arterial aneurysm manage their blood pressure carefully, as high blood pressure increases the risk of an arterial aneurysm growing and can eventually lead to rupture.
Abdominal aortic aneurysms are common aneurysms that often occur in older patients. Aortic aneurysms can also occur in the thoracic region and these are called thoracic aortic aneurysms. Any type of aortic aneurysm has the potential to be very serious, as a rupture can lead to massive, sometimes fatal bleeding.
A popliteal artery aneurysm is another common type of aneurysm. This type of aneurysm is found in the back of the knee. Such aneurysms rarely rupture and are not usually considered life-threatening, although in some rare cases loss of blood flow to parts of the leg can result in gangrene developing, occasionally requiring amputation of the limb. Aneurysms can also develop elsewhere in the leg. A femoral artery aneurysm occurs in the groin region. As is the case with most aneurysms that occur in the limbs, these rarely rupture.
If an arterial aneurysm occurs in the brain, it can rupture and cause very serious damage. This is not a common condition and is usually found in older patients, more commonly in women than in men. A brain aneurysm, such as a cerebral artery aneurysm or intracranial aneurysm, can cause severe pain, loss of nerve sensation, blurred vision, vomiting, and stroke.
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