Hope on the Horizon: HBA Support’s Research Initiatives
Introducing Hereditary Brain Aneurysm Support
Hereditary Brain Aneurysm Support (HBA Support) is the UK's first patient-centred organisation to provide information and support for people affected by hereditary brain aneurysms and their families.
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We support people affected by hereditary brain aneurysms, building a community for families that have been given a hereditary brain aneurysm diagnosis or suspect there is a pattern or cluster in their family.
Since 2022, we've been supporting hundreds of people affected, working with the medical, research, and policy communities to improve information and research.
What is a brain aneurysm?
An aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the blood vessel wall, usually where it branches.
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Thousands of people live well with brain aneurysms without knowing they carry one. Only when they rupture (burst) can they be fatal or life-changing for the person and their family.
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When a rupture happens, it is usually very sudden and without warning.
Are brain aneurysms hereditary?
Most cases of brain aneurysms are sporadic, meaning they are sudden and have no genetic hereditary pattern.
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However, sometimes, cases of brain aneurysms cluster or run in families. This is rare, but it can impact families severely when it happens.​
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If you have a strong family history of brain aneurysms, there is a 2.3% to 29.4% chance of having an unruptured brain aneurysm, compared with 0.2% - 8.8% of the general population.