In rupture

CEBU, Philippine s- Not all human bodies are created equal. Some have high threshold for pain. Some cringe at the throb of a chronic headache. Some are trained to withstand the elements. Others succumb to high heat or to the nasty cold. Being "made of steel" remains true only in the figurative sense. 

With prolonged strain (lifting weights and other strenuous activities) and other factors such as unhealthy lifestyle patterns and genetics (history of degenerative ailments), even men who put on a strong physique are no exemptions to ruptured aneurysm.

According to stroke.about.com, aneurysms are weak areas on the wall of a blood vessel, usually an artery. An artery is the type of blood vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood to tissues.

Over time, these weak areas on the walls of arteries balloon out causing the blood vessel wall to become even weaker as the aneurysm grows.

It was pointed out that occasionally aneurysms can rupture and cause a hemorrhagic stroke. This is the type of stroke caused by bleeding inside the brain and that approximately eight percent of all strokes are caused by ruptured aneurysms.

Brain bleed

In a study entitled "Trigger Factors and Their Attributable Risk for Rupture of Intracranial Aneurysms," published on stroke.ahajournals.org in 2011, it was cited that during a three-year period, focusing on 250 patients, it was found out that eight trigger factors increased the risk for aneurysmal rupture: coffee consumption, cola consumption, anger, startling, straining for defecation, sexual intercourse, nose blowing, and vigorous physical exercise. The highest population-attributable risks were found for coffee consumption at 10.6 percent and vigorous physical exercise at 7.9 percent.

Additional info

Notes from Mayfield Clinic pointed out that most aneurysms don't have symptoms until they rupture. Rupture usually occurs while a person is active rather than asleep. If you feel a sudden onset of a severe headache often described as the "worst headache of your life," seek medical attention immediately. Other early signs include nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, sensitivity to light (photophobia), blurred or double vision, loss of consciousness, and seizures.

Risk factors for aneurysm currently being studied include smoking, high blood pressure, alcohol, genetic (family inherited), atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), oral contraceptives, and lifestyle.

How is a diagnosis made?

When a patient is brought to the emergency room with a suspected ruptured aneurysm, doctors will learn as much as possible about his or her symptoms, current and previous medical problems, medications, and family history. A physical exam will be performed. Diagnostic tests will help determine the source of the bleeding.

•Computed Tomography (CT) scan is a non-invasive X-ray that provides images of anatomical structures within the brain. It is especially useful to detect blood in or around the brain. A newer technology called CT angiography (CTA) involves the injection of contrast into the blood stream to view the arteries of the brain. CTA provides the best pictures of blood vessels (through angiography) and soft tissues (through CT).

• Lumbar puncture is an invasive procedure in which a hollow needle is inserted into the subarachnoid space of the spinal canal to detect blood in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The doctor will collect two to four tubes of CSF.

• Angiogram is an invasive procedure in which a catheter is inserted into an artery and passed through the blood vessels to the brain. Once the catheter is in place, contrast dye is injected into the bloodstream and X-rays are taken.

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan is a noninvasive test that uses a magnetic field and radio-frequency waves to give a detailed view of the soft tissues of the brain. An MRA (Magnetic Resonance Angiogram) is the same non-invasive study, except that it is also an angiogram, which means it examines the blood vessels in addition to structures of the brain.