Corticosteroid use and risk of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage

Objectives Corticosteroids can induce hypertension and inhibit collagen synthesis in the blood vessel wall. Deficiencies in collagen have been found in intracranial aneurysms. Therefore use of corticosteroids could be a risk factor for intracranial aneurysms and aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). We investigated the relationship between the systemic use of corticosteroids in the past and the occurrence of aneurysmal SAH.