Journalism Sample: The Truth about Cerebral Aneurysms

Diffusing the “Ticking Time Bomb”: The Truth about Cerebral Aneurysms
By Christine Whitmarsh

(Originally published in the Reno Gazette Journal in September, 2006)

Is it a headache or something far worse? The mere thought of it can be terrifying without the proper information – a bulging artery in the brain that goes unnoticed in most people unless they have symptoms such as frequent headaches, vision changes, or neck pain, and in worse case scenarios if the artery ruptures, causing bleeding in the brain or a stroke.

The official definition of this condition is “a bulging weak area in the wall of an artery that supplies blood to the brain” (WebMD.com). While cerebral aneurysms only occur in approximately 8% of the population, perhaps it is their silent stealth that leads laypeople to compare the condition with a “ticking time bomb.”

“This is a misstatement,” says Dr. Jay K. Morgan, neurosurgeon at Sierra Neurosurgery Group who studied cerebral aneurysms as a sub-specialty. Dr. Morgan asks people to consider the following truths about cerebral aneurysms before calling in the bomb squad.


• A cerebral aneurysm is a congenital anomaly but it usually does not run in families, but rather on certain genes*.
• In fact, a family member of someone with this condition has a 90% chance of not developing it. But if two relatives in the same immediate family have a history of an aneurysm and especially a rupture, a doctor’s visit and MRI scan are recommended for other immediate family members.
• Less than 1% of aneurysms rupture per year
• Aneurysms most commonly affect people 40-60 years old


Additional Risk Factors and Predispositions (WebMD.com):

• Previous aneurysm – About 20% of patients with one aneurysm typically develop more
• Gender – Women are twice as likely to develop an aneurysm and have it rupture as men
• Race –African-Americans are more likely to develop a rupture than Caucasians

Once a cerebral aneurysm is diagnosed – usually after a patient starts experiencing symptoms – human nature may cause an instant doctor’s office freak out. Dr. Morgan advises, “Don’t panic… It’s not as evil a structure you as you might think.” In fact, he says, most bulges are less than 5-7mm in size and rarely cause symptoms let alone rupture. If this is the case and the patient is asymptomatic, a doctor may simply observe the aneurysm for growth and the patient for new symptoms.

Factors that can increase the probability of rupture, however, aren’t quite as random as the existence of the aneurysm itself. Smoking, hypertension and diabetes have been correlated with turning an otherwise dormant genetic tendency into an aneurysm, even leading more frequently to rupture than patients without these behaviors and conditions. To put things in perspective, Dr. Morgan is quick to point out that these factors are much more likely to cause heart disease and/or stroke, than a cerebral aneurysm.

If treatment is indicated for the aneurysm, a surgical intervention similar to the procedure used to open a clogged heart artery is used to reach the bulging brain vessel, release pressure on the aneurysm and prevent rupture. For patients ages 75-90, the surgical risks due to preexisting conditions such as heart disease or COPD frequently outweigh the potential benefits of operating on the aneurysm. A specialized facility typically found only in much larger cities to treat aneurysms also exists here in Reno.

While cerebral aneurysms may remain fairly mysterious amongst laypeople, the proven successful diagnostics, treatment interventions and continuing research should provide comfort to those asking themselves – is this really just a headache?


*An August 2006 research article in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry revealed that the frequency of a particular gene variation of the Il-6 gene is known to produce larger amounts of a chemical known to damage brain tissue, increasing the odds of an aneurysm.