BRAINCAKEAneurysms
An aneurysm is a balloon-like swelling of an artery wall. It forms where the wall has become weak.
How an aneurysm forms. Atherosclerosis damages and weakens the artery wall and makes it less elastic. The artery also narrows, so blood builds up behind the narrowed region and the pressure there increases. The pressure of the blood pushes the weakened wall outwards, and it bulges to form a blood-filled swelling. As the swelling grows, the wall becomes thinner and weaker still.
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More in Cardiovascular Diseases
- Cardiovascular Diseases in the UK
- Atherosclerosis
- Raised Blood Pressure
- Heart Disease
- Angina
- Thrombosis
- Heart Attacks
- Strokes
All 20 lessons in Cardiovascular Diseases · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics