MEDICAL JARGON BUSTER

MediCal terms decoded. this week: aneurysm and apnoea AN ANEURYSM is a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the vessel wall, writes olivia Gavoyannis.

It can occur in the walls of any blood vessel, including those leading to the heart. If an aneurysm ruptures it can cause sudden loss of blood, which can be fatal.

Aneurysms can develop as the result of a hereditary condition, an acquired disease such as heart disease, or a severe head injury. Smoking, high blood pressure and old age can increase the risk.

Apnoea is when a person involuntarily stops breathing for a short period of time. Obstructive sleep apnoea is when the airflow in the throat is blocked by the walls of the throat which have relaxed during sleep.

A rarer form of sleep apnoea is when the brain stops sending signals to the breathing muscles.

In many cases people are unaware they have apnoea, as they don’t wake up when it occurs.