Bulletin No. 1, 2013

36 Chinese University Bulletin No. 1, 2013 C erebral aneurysm is a serious health hazard that occurs in about two to six per cent of the Hong Kong population. It is thought to be associated with hypertension, atherosclerosis, and congenital factors that lead to a weakening of vessel walls. Aneurysm rupture, i.e., the breaking of a blood vessel in the brain, is a cause of intracranial bleeding that may lead to severe disability, comatose or even death, with a death rate of up to 45%. The risk of rupture is about 1.3% per year—remote but sufficiently alarming to one living with the condition. In the overall population, the incidence of aneurysm rupture is 10.5 per 100,000 people. Dismantling Time Bombs in the Brain