What is an aneurysm?

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Multiple Choice

What is an aneurysm?

An aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel caused by weakness in the vessel wall. When a part of the artery wall is weakened, pressure from blood flow makes that section balloon outward, forming a swelling. It most often occurs in arteries such as the aorta or in brain vessels. The main danger is rupture, which can cause life-threatening bleeding and needs urgent assessment. It’s not a narrowing of a vessel (that would be stenosis), not a tear in the wall (that would be a dissection), and not a blockage of a vein (that would be venous thrombosis).

An aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel caused by weakness in the vessel wall. When a part of the artery wall is weakened, pressure from blood flow makes that section balloon outward, forming a swelling. It most often occurs in arteries such as the aorta or in brain vessels. The main danger is rupture, which can cause life-threatening bleeding and needs urgent assessment. It’s not a narrowing of a vessel (that would be stenosis), not a tear in the wall (that would be a dissection), and not a blockage of a vein (that would be venous thrombosis).

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