What is an aneurysm?

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What is an aneurysm?

An aneurysm is a bulge or ballooning of a portion of an artery caused by a weakened vessel wall. Arteries have three layers, and when the middle layer (the wall) weakens, blood pressure pushes outward, enlarging the spot into a sac-like dilation. These enlargements can be sac-like (saccular) or involve the entire circumference of the vessel (fusiform). Because the wall is stretched thin, aneurysms can rupture, leading to dangerous bleeding depending on the location, such as in the brain or the aorta. Common sites include the abdominal aorta and the brain’s circle of Willis. Risk factors include high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, smoking, and certain connective tissue disorders. A small clot inside a vein isn’t an aneurysm (that would be a thrombus). A blockage in an artery describes an occlusion, not dilation. Inflammation of a capillary refers to capillaritis, a different vascular condition.

An aneurysm is a bulge or ballooning of a portion of an artery caused by a weakened vessel wall. Arteries have three layers, and when the middle layer (the wall) weakens, blood pressure pushes outward, enlarging the spot into a sac-like dilation. These enlargements can be sac-like (saccular) or involve the entire circumference of the vessel (fusiform). Because the wall is stretched thin, aneurysms can rupture, leading to dangerous bleeding depending on the location, such as in the brain or the aorta. Common sites include the abdominal aorta and the brain’s circle of Willis. Risk factors include high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, smoking, and certain connective tissue disorders.

A small clot inside a vein isn’t an aneurysm (that would be a thrombus). A blockage in an artery describes an occlusion, not dilation. Inflammation of a capillary refers to capillaritis, a different vascular condition.

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