When a nurse measured his blood pressure at the triage, his left arm's blood pressure was somewhere near 180. After he was admitted to the ER his blood pressure was measured again, using his right arm. This time the blood pressure was somewhere around 80. This alarmed the nurse so a doctor came to look at him. He was afraid this might be a case of aneurysm.
1. Aorta
2. Dilation and Thinning of Abdominal Aorta (Aneurysm)
3. Inferior Vena Cava
An aneurysm (or aneurism) (from Greek ανευρυσμα, a dilatation) is a localized dilation or ballooning of a blood vessel by more than 50% of the diameter of the vessel. Aneurysms most commonly occur in the arteries at the base of the brain (the circle of Willis) and in the aorta (the main artery coming out of the heart) - this is an aortic aneurysm.
The layer of the artery that is in direct contact with the flow of blood is the tunica intima, commonly called the intima. This layer is made up of mainly endothelial cells. Adjacent to this layer is the tunica media, known as the media. This "middle layer" is made up of smooth muscle cells and elastic tissue. The outermost layer (farthest from the flow of blood) is known as the tunica adventitia or the adventitia. This layer is composed of connective tissue.
