What is a brain aneurysm? The sudden death of a South Florida mayor may have you wondering
The sudden death of Wilton Manors Mayor Justin Flippen shocked many across South Florida and the nation.
The 41-year-old politician was driving to a City Commission meeting Tuesday night when he suddenly fell ill and died shortly after at a hospital.
On Wednesday, the Broward medical examiner said Flippen died of a brain aneurysm.
Kinds of brain aneurysms
Details haven’t been released on what kind of brain aneurysm led to Flippen’s death or any other indicators as to why he suffered from a fatal attack.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “a brain aneurysm is a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain.”
▪ The aneurysm could leak or rupture, causing a hemorrhagic stroke — bleeding into the brain, also known as a subarachnoid hemorrhage.
A ruptured brain aneurysm usually occurs in the space between the brain and the thin tissues covering the organ.
“A ruptured aneurysm quickly becomes life threatening and requires prompt medical treatment,” the Mayo Clinic said.
Not all brain aneurysms rupture.
▪ An unruptured aneursym may not be felt at all, especially if it’s small, the clinic said. Sometimes it can produce pain above and behind one eye or a dilated pupil.
▪ A leaking aneurysm could produce a sudden, severe headache and lead to a more critical or fatal rupture.
Brain aneurysms develop as a result of thinning artery walls, according to the clinic.
▪ A saccular aneurysm is a rounded sac containing blood that is attached to a main artery or one of its branches.
This kind is also known as a “berry aneurysm because it resembles a berry hanging from a vine,” according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The berry, or saccular, aneurysm is the most common form of cerebral aneurysm and most often occurs in adults.
▪ A fusiform aneurysm balloons or bulges out on all sides of the artery.
▪ A mycotic aneurysm occurs as the result of an infection that can sometimes affect the arteries in the brain, according to the NIH. “The infection weakens the artery wall, causing a bulging aneurysm to form.”
Who can get a brain aneurysm?
Brain aneurysms can occur in anyone and at any age, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. But they are most common in adults between the ages of 30 and 60 and are more common in women than in men, as well as among those with certain inherited disorders, the NIH said.
About 30,000 Americans a year suffer a brain aneurysm rupture, according to the NIH. “Much less is known about how many people have cerebral aneurysms, since they don’t always cause symptoms.”
Researchers believe between 3% and 5% of Americans may have an aneurysm at some point in their life.
Head or brain trauma from an injury, such as a fall or a strike can lead to an aneurysm. So can high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol since these ailments are risk factors for atherosclerosis — a blood vessel disease in which fats build up on the inside of artery walls. This can increase the risk of developing a fusiform aneurysm, according to the NIH.
Cigarette smoking and cocaine use can also lead to a brain aneurysm, experts say.
Nationally prominent people who have died of brain aneurysms include “ER” screenwriter David Mills, Former Gator and Oakland Raiders linebacker Neiron Ball, “Zorro” actor Guy Williams, “Batman” actress Shelby Grant and Stephanie Tubbs Jones, the first African-American woman elected to Congress from Ohio.
Also, Stuart Suttcliffe, the original bassist for The Beatles before Paul McCartney joined the band, died of a brain aneurysm in 1962.
At age 39 in October 1980, Jefferson Airplane founder Paul Kantner suffered a cerebral aneurysm. He survived, wrote a song about the experience two years later, and died at 74 of complications from a heart attack in 2016.
Brain aneurysm symptoms
According to the Mayo Clinic and the National Institutes of Health, symptoms can include:
▪ A sudden, extremely severe headache.
▪ Nausea and vomiting.
▪ A stiff neck.
▪ Blurred or double vision.
▪ Light sensitivity.
▪ Seizure.
▪ A drooping eyelid.
▪ Loss of consciousness.
▪ Confusion.
▪ Pain above and behind one eye and/or a dilated pupil or numbness to one side of the face, usually in the case of an unruptured aneurysm.
What to do if experiencing symptoms
If you get a sudden, extremely severe headache, seek emergency attention if you’re able.
If you’re with someone showing symptoms or hear them complain of a sudden, severe headache, call 911.
Outlook
▪ About 25% of people whose cerebral aneurysms rupture die within 24 hours, according to the NIH. Another 25% die from complications within six months.
▪ Subarachnoid hemorrhages can lead to permanent neurological damage.
▪ Still others may recover fully or with little or no disability.
“Diagnosing and treating a cerebral aneurysm as soon as possible will help increase the chances of making a full recovery,” the NIH says.
More information
▪ The University of Miami Cerebrovascular Initiative at UHealth Also, The Brain Aneurysm Foundation.
This story was originally published February 26, 2020 at 3:11 PM.
