Expert: Walter Hintz - 11/21/2011

Question
I'm sorry to have to dump this question on you, but on this site anyway the MDs seem as if there are only very particular topics they are willing to talk about, and there are few brain experts. Anyway my mother had a stroke a few years back due to surgery to remove aneurysms. I was told that whatever she had was hereditary and it would be wise if myself and my sister got ourselves checked out. It was said that it effects women much more commonly however. So I am not sure if my mother had some other issue, or if aneurysms in general are typically more common for women to have?

Answer
I believe that it is true that they are more common in women but I am not sure about the heredity factors. Regular health checkups should be carried about by everyone after age 60.
My wife had two aneurysms treated successfully. Her doctor told her that smoking brought them on