Kim Kardashian left fans fearing for her health after she revealed that she has been diagnosed with a brain aneurysm.
The 45-year-old mother-of-four's latest health woe became public on Thursday when it was mentioned in the trailer for the seventh season of her family's Disney+ show 'The Kardashians'.
A brain aneurysm is a swelling in a blood vessel in the brain.
They are relatively common, with around three per cent -- roughly two million people -- in the UK living with an unruptured aneurysm.
Most brain aneurysms are small and do not cause symptoms, meaning that many people who have them are not aware of it -- unless they undergo a brain scan for another condition.
However, larger aneurysms may cause symptoms such as a headache, pain above or around the eyes, changes in vision, dizziness and balance problems, numbness or weakness on one side of the face, difficulty concentrating and memory problems.
If you experience any of the above it is crucial to seek advice from your GP who can refer you to specialists for further tests and investigations.
Aneurysms are diagnosed in hospitals using specialised imaging tests which allow doctors to get detailed images of the brain and blood vessels.
These include CT, MRI or MRA scans -- which Kim is having in The Kardashians trailer -- and lastly a cerebral angiography.
This is when dye is injected into the arteries to provide clear, detailed pictures of the blood vessels in the brain and highlight any aneurysm.
In the clip, Kim implies that her aneurysm is the result of her stressful split from her ex-husband, rapper Kanye West, but doctors say there is very little evidence to suggest that stress alone can directly cause an aneurysm.
However, stress can lead to high blood pressure, which raises the risk of developing one.
The episode aired as Kim turned heads in London while celebrating her 45th birthday with an extremely A-list party crowd as she is seen with famed fashion designer John Galliano.
Whilst most aneurysms remain stable, around one in every 100 will rupture -- often without warning -- causing a brain bleed known as a subarachnoid haemorrhage, a rare but life-threatening type of stroke.
The main symptom is a sudden, severe headache that's sometimes described as a 'thunderclap headache'.
The hemorrhage can happen at any time, but it may be more likely when a patient puts strain on their body -- either by coughing, lifting something heavy or engaging in sexual intercourse.
Each year, an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 people in the UK will suffer a ruptured aneurysm, with around half of these cases proving fatal.
But, not everyone who has a brain aneurysms will need treatment, according to the NHS.
This is because they often do not increase in size, and have a relatively low risk of bursting, especially if they're not causing symptoms.
Low-risk aneurysms will be monitored by doctors for growth or abnormalities.
Doctors will consider the location, size, shape and a patient's family history to determine whether they need treatment.
The reality TV star confided in her sister Kourtney Kardashian, 46, that doctors found a 'little' aneurysm on her brain scan during an intro clip in episode one, titled 'Feels Like the Old Days'
After getting her MRI, a weeping Kim was then shown speaking to someone on the phone in another scene, as she asked, 'Why the fk is this happening?'
Kim and Kanye were married from 2014 until 2022, and share daughters North, 12, Chicago, 7, and sons Saint, 9, and Psalm, 6
If there's a considerable risk of the aneurysm bursting, or if it has already ruptured, there are two main types of surgery doctors will likely consider: surgical clipping and endovascular surgery.
Surgical clipping involves attaching a small metal clip to the affected blood vessel in the brain, to restrict blood flow to the aneurysm, whereas endovascular surgery involves inserting a small piece of wire mesh directly into the aneurysm to slow the flow of blood and encourage a blood clot to form.
Whilst it is not always clear what causes brain aneurysms, there are a number of factors that can increase your chance of developing the swelling.
These include smoking; high blood pressure; having a close relative who has had a brain aneurysm; trauma to the brain which damages a blood vessel; taking drugs like cocaine; having certain genetic conditions like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome -- a group of inherited conditions that affect connective tissue.
Details about Kim's current condition remain unclear, with no indication as to whether she is experiencing any symptoms.
But she has been open about her previously health battles, having long suffered with two autoimmune conditions.
In 2022, she revealed that her 16 pound weight loss in order to fit into Marilyn Monroe's iconic gown at the Met Gala that year caused her body to have a psoriasis flare up that led to psoriatic arthritis.
And in 2015, she spoke about suffering from placenta accreta, which occurs when the placenta -- the organ that provides the fetus with nutrients -- attaches too deeply to the uterine wall, increasing the risk of heavy bleeding after birth.
What is a brain aneurysm?
An aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the blood vessel wall, usually where it branches.
As blood passes through the weakened blood vessel, the blood pressure causes a small area to bulge outwards like a balloon.
Aneurysms can develop in any blood vessel in the body, but the two most common places are:
- the brain
- the aorta
Most brain aneurysms only cause noticeable symptoms if they burst (rupture).
This leads to an extremely serious condition known as a subarachnoid haemorrhage, where bleeding caused by the ruptured aneurysm can cause extensive brain damage and symptoms.
Symptoms include:
- A sudden agonising headache - it's been described as a "thunderclap headache", similar to a sudden hit on the head, resulting in a blinding pain unlike anything experienced before
- A stiff neck
- Sickness and vomiting
- Pain on looking at light
About 3 in 5 people who have a subarachnoid haemorrhage die within 2 weeks.
Half of those who survive are left with severe brain damage and disability.