New York City and much of the surrounding areas were saddened to hear of well-known and respected WABC news anchor and reporter, Lisa Colagrossi, passed away from a brain hemorrhage. Lisa was a determined reporter and dedicated wife and mother. She will truly be missed.

Brain Hemorrhages: What You Need To Know

A brain hemorrhage is a type of stroke. It's caused by an artery in the brain bursting and causing localized bleeding in the surrounding tissues. This bleeding kills brain cells.

Brain Hemorrhage Can Be Caused By:

• Head trauma
• High blood pressure
• Aneurysm
• Blood vessel abnormalities
• Amyloid angiopathy
• Blood or bleeding disorders
• Liver disease
• Brain tumors

Symptoms: What to Look For

• A sudden severe headache
• Seizures with no previous history of seizures
• Weakness in an arm or leg
• Nausea or vomiting
• Decreased alertness; lethargy
• Changes in vision
• Tingling or numbness
• Difficulty speaking or understanding speech
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty writing or reading
• Loss of fine motor skills, such as hand tremors
• Loss of coordination
• Loss of balance
• An abnormal sense of taste
• Loss of consciousness

Brain Aneurysm

Brain aneurysms may develop because of hardening of the arteries and aging.

Risk Factors

• Family history
• Previous aneurysm
• Gender: Women are more likely to develop a brain aneurysm
• Race. African Americans are more at risk
• High blood pressure
• Smoking

A brain or "ruptured aneurysm" is often called "the worst headache ever experience." If you have a sudden, severe headache it is imperative that you seek treatment. Some individuals let it go and think it's just a headache but the longer you wait, the more potential damage on the brain. Pay close attention to the length of time you're having a headache and how severe, then seek help.