Which condition is a ballooned or weakened arterial wall that commonly occurs in the aorta or arteries in the brain, legs, intestines, or spleen?

Which condition is a ballooned or weakened arterial wall that commonly occurs in the aorta or arteries in the brain, legs, intestines, or spleen?

• A. Hypertension
• B. Endocarditis
• C. Aneurysm
• D. Pericarditis

Answer: (C)

An aneurysm is a localized dilation of an artery caused by a weakened vessel wall. This ballooned area can form in the aorta or in arteries throughout the brain, legs, intestines, or spleen. The wall loss of strength lets blood pressure push the wall outward, creating the bulge. Factors that contribute include atherosclerosis, long-standing hypertension, smoking, and certain connective tissue disorders. The main danger is rupture, which can cause life-threatening bleeding; the risk rises with the size and growth rate of the bulge. Many aneurysms are silent until they rupture, though abdominal aneurysms may cause a pulsatile abdominal mass or back pain, and brain aneurysms can cause a sudden severe headache if they rupture. Diagnosis is by imaging such as ultrasound for abdominal aneurysms or CT/MR angiography for other sites. Management depends on size, location, and growth: small aneurysms are monitored, while larger or growing ones are treated with surgical repair or endovascular stent grafts. While high blood pressure is a risk factor, the described condition is specifically an aneurysm, not endocarditis or pericarditis.

An aneurysm is a localized dilation of an artery caused by a weakened vessel wall. This ballooned area can form in the aorta or in arteries throughout the brain, legs, intestines, or spleen. The wall loss of strength lets blood pressure push the wall outward, creating the bulge. Factors that contribute include atherosclerosis, long-standing hypertension, smoking, and certain connective tissue disorders. The main danger is rupture, which can cause life-threatening bleeding; the risk rises with the size and growth rate of the bulge. Many aneurysms are silent until they rupture, though abdominal aneurysms may cause a pulsatile abdominal mass or back pain, and brain aneurysms can cause a sudden severe headache if they rupture. Diagnosis is by imaging such as ultrasound for abdominal aneurysms or CT/MR angiography for other sites. Management depends on size, location, and growth: small aneurysms are monitored, while larger or growing ones are treated with surgical repair or endovascular stent grafts. While high blood pressure is a risk factor, the described condition is specifically an aneurysm, not endocarditis or pericarditis.