Kim Kardashian has suffered a brain aneurysm
The SKIMS founder disclosed she was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm after undergoing a routine MRI scan that was filmed for her family’s reality TV series.
The 45-year-old made the revelation in the season seven premiere of The Kardashians, which aired on Thursday.
In emotional footage, Kim is shown receiving the news from doctors and later calling family members to share the diagnosis.
Kim Kardashian’s brain aneurysm diagnosis
During the episode, Kim underwent an MRI scan that revealed what she described as a ‘little aneurysm’ in her brain. The scan was performed as part of routine filming for the Hulu series.
“There was a little aneurysm,” Kim told her sister Kourtney by phone, according to footage from the episode.
She added what doctors attributed the finding to, telling her: “Just stress.”
Kourtney reacted with shock to the news, responding: “Whoa!”
Kim connected the medical finding to years of stress stemming from her tumultuous divorce from rapper Kanye West.
The pair, who married in 2014, filed for divorce in 2021, with the split finalized in 2022. They share four children: North, 12, Saint, 9, Chicago, 7, and Psalm, 6.
“I feel more stressed probably just because I have to protect my kids,” Kim said in the episode. “Everyone around can handle [the drama], but I want to protect my babies.”
The reality star also revealed that the stress from her divorce caused her psoriasis, a chronic skin condition, to flare up after years without symptoms.
“I haven’t had psoriasis since I got divorced, and it just started coming back,” she shared in the episode.
What is a brain aneurysm, and is it life-threatening?
A brain aneurysm is a bulge or swelling in a blood vessel in the brain caused by a weakness in the vessel wall, per Mayo Clinic.
Many small aneurysms do not cause symptoms and may not require treatment beyond monitoring.
However, if an aneurysm ruptures, it can cause life-threatening bleeding in the brain.
About half of all ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal, and roughly two-thirds of survivors suffer permanent brain damage or neurological problems.
While medical professionals note that stress does not directly cause aneurysms to form, chronic stress can raise blood pressure and damage blood vessels over time – factors that may contribute to aneurysm development.
Additionally, emotional stress can cause sudden blood pressure spikes that might trigger a rupture in an existing aneurysm.
Kim has not publicly disclosed a treatment plan or whether doctors have recommended surgery.
For small, asymptomatic aneurysms, physicians typically recommend regular monitoring through medical scans and lifestyle modifications such as quitting smoking and controlling blood pressure.
Kim Kardashian on co-parenting
Throughout the episode, Kim discussed the challenges of co-parenting with West, who has publicly criticized the Kardashian family since their divorce.
“My ex will be in my life no matter what. We have four kids together,” she said.
Kim revealed that she previously felt a sense of responsibility to protect West during his struggles with bipolar disorder and erratic behavior, describing the feeling as ‘Stockholm syndrome.’
However, she said she no longer carries that burden.
“I always felt really bad and always protected and always wanted to help,” she explained. “This was the first time I didn’t feel that responsibility personally. It is so f***ing sad.”
The reality star emphasized her primary concern is shielding her children from public disputes.
“My poor kids. Everyone around can handle it, but like, protect my babies,” she said. “My job as a mom is to just make sure that – at a time when that behavior is happening – is just to make sure that they’re protected.”
Kim’s representatives have not issued additional statements about her diagnosis, and it remains unclear whether further medical details will be shared in upcoming episodes.
