An abnormal bulging or ballooning of a blood vessel wall caused by weakness in the vessel structure. Aneurysms can occur in arteries throughout the body and pose serious health risks if they rupture, particularly in the brain or aorta.
From Greek 'aneurysma' meaning 'a widening,' derived from 'ana' (up) and 'eurys' (wide). The term literally describes the pathological widening of a blood vessel beyond its normal diameter.
Brain aneurysms affect about 1 in 50 people, but most never rupture - they're like tiny time bombs that usually stay dormant! When they do rupture, causing subarachnoid hemorrhage, patients often describe it as 'the worst headache of my life,' and it's a true neurosurgical emergency.
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