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Kim K’s Aneurysm Reveal: Doctors Weigh In on Stress and Brain Health
In a recent teaser for “The Kardashians,” reality TV star Kim Kardashian shared a startling diagnosis: a brain aneurysm. While Kardashian appears to attribute the condition to stress, medical experts are offering a more nuanced perspective on the causes of these often silent health issues.
The clip shows the 45-year-old undergoing an MRI and revealing to her family, “There was a little aneurysm.” She then suggests the cause was “just stress,” a sentiment that follows emotional footage of her discussing her challenging divorce from Kanye West.
However, medical professionals clarify that while stress doesn’t directly create an aneurysm, it can contribute to elevated blood pressure, which is a known factor in both the formation and growth of aneurysms. Dr. Brian Snelling, director of cerebrovascular and endovascular neurosurgery at Marcus Neuroscience Institute, emphasized that “The real culprits are genetics, elevated blood pressure, smoking and age-related changes in the arteries.”
Dr. Greg Albers, co-founder of RapidAI and director of the Stanford Stroke Center, echoed this, stating, “It is not proven that stress alone causes an aneurysm,” but acknowledged that chronic stress can lead to increased blood pressure, making individuals more vulnerable.
A brain aneurysm is defined by the Mayo Clinic as a “bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain.” Dr. Adam Arthur, a neurosurgeon and chief medical officer at Medtronic, likened it to a weak spot in a garden hose, explaining, “Over time, with pressure going through that hose, it’s caused a little sack.”
Brain aneurysms, which are more common in women, affect approximately 1 in 50 adults. Yet, most individuals are unaware they have one.
“They are often found incidentally on scans done for unrelated reasons. Unless they grow large or rupture, they’re usually silent,” Dr.
Snelling explained.
The good news is that most brain aneurysms are not serious, especially if small, as the majority do not rupture or cause symptoms. “Aneurysms themselves aren’t dangerous unless they leak or burst, which leads to a life-threatening brain bleed,” Dr. Snelling clarified, referencing hemorrhagic strokes and subarachnoid hemorrhages as potential complications.
Prevention strategies include controlling blood pressure, avoiding smoking and stimulants, and monitoring at-risk populations with imaging. While not a direct cause, alleviating stress can also be crucial in preventing a rupture, Dr. Arthur noted, adding that aneurysms “can happen to anybody, regardless of risk factors.”
Dr. Arthur highlighted the importance of screenings for those with risk factors, such as having two close relatives with aneurysms.
He expressed hope that Kardashian’s public disclosure will raise awareness. “I don’t want to scare people unnecessarily, but anything that we can use to put more of a focus on women’s health and on how stroke can hurt women or cause disability, I think is something that we can make more positive,” he concluded.