Kim Kardashian, the reality television star and entrepreneur, has revealed that she has been diagnosed with a brain aneurysm.

The 45-year-old shared the news during a teaser for the seventh season of her reality series The Kardashians, which premiered Thursday on Hulu.

“There’s, like, a little aneurysm,” Kardashian says in the clip, which appears at the start of the season’s first episode.

Her sister, Kourtney Kardashian Barker, reacts to the revelation with surprise, saying, “Whoa.” Kardashian also suggests that stress may have contributed to the diagnosis.

The teaser shows brief footage of Kardashian undergoing a brain scan.

Brain aneurysms are relatively common, affecting about one in every 50 people. Many remain unaware they have one, as unruptured aneurysms often cause no symptoms.

It was unclear whether Kardashian had experienced any symptoms. Her publicist did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

In rare cases, large or growing aneurysms can lead to severe headaches, weakness, or speech and balance difficulties.

If an aneurysm ruptures, it can cause a sudden and intense headache often described as the worst of one’s life, along with nausea, vision problems, or loss of consciousness. Ruptured aneurysms can result in brain damage, strokes, or death.

A brain aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel, similar to “a weak spot on a tyre,” explained Dr Shazam Hussain, director of the Cerebrovascular Centre at the Cleveland Clinic.

Not all aneurysms require treatment. Some can be monitored, depending on their size, shape, and location. “Not everyone who has a brain aneurysm needs treatment,” said Dr Aditya Pandey of the University of Michigan Health.

He noted that larger aneurysms and those associated with high blood pressure or smoking pose greater risks.

While Kardashian hinted that stress may have played a role, medical experts say there is no direct link. “We don’t have anything that would suggest there’s a direct connection between stress and aneurysms,” Dr Hussain said.

Prolonged stress can raise blood pressure, which increases risk, but other factors, such as family history and smoking, are stronger contributors.

Kardashian has previously promoted full-body MRI scans, though medical experts have cautioned that such scans are not necessary or beneficial for everyone.