What is a brain aneurysm? Everything you need to know about Dr Dre's medical condition that sent him to ICU
Music mogul Dr Dre suffered an apparent brain aneurysm on Monday, January 4, and is currently receiving treatment at Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The medical condition is actually a "ballooning in a blood vessel." Here's a closer look at Dr Dre's medical condition.
His team issued a statement from him on Tuesday night, saying, “Thanks to my family, friends and fans for their interest and well wishes. I’m doing great and getting excellent care from my medical team. I will be out of the hospital and back home soon. Shout out to all the great medical professionals at Cedars. One Love!!” According to a source, the 55-year-old music legend is in stable condition, but doctors don't know what caused the bleeding and they are doing a series of tests.
Born as Andre Young, the NWA rapper turned into a mega-star and mega-producer. He also co-founded the Beats by Dre empire with Jimmy Iovine and helped launch and run Death Row Records. Dr Dre launched many big names in the music industry, including Eminem, Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg.
What is a brain aneurysm?
According to Mayo Clinic, "A brain aneurysm (AN-yoo-riz-um) is a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain. It often looks like a berry hanging on a stem. A brain aneurysm can leak or rupture, causing bleeding into the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). Most often a ruptured brain aneurysm occurs in the space between the brain and the thin tissues covering the brain. This type of hemorrhagic stroke is called a subarachnoid hemorrhage. A ruptured aneurysm quickly becomes life-threatening and requires prompt medical treatment."
What are the symptoms?
Common signs and symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm include:
- Sudden, extremely severe headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Stiff neck
- Blurred or double vision
- Sensitivity to light
- Seizure
- A drooping eyelid
- Loss of consciousness
- Confusion
What are the types of brain aneurysms?
Leaking aneurysm
In some cases, an aneurysm may leak a slight amount of blood. This leaking (sentinel bleed) may cause only a sudden, extremely severe headache. A more severe rupture often follows leaking.
Unruptured aneurysm
An unruptured brain aneurysm may produce no symptoms, particularly if it's small. However, a larger unruptured aneurysm may press on brain tissues and nerves, possibly causing pain above and behind one eye, a dilated pupil, change in vision or double vision and numbness on one side of the face.
You can view the visual guide to brain aneurysm here.