PHI with Cerebral artery embolism
How does this condition affect your private health insurance?
Gehirnarterienembolie, or cerebral artery embolism, is a type of ischemic stroke where a blood clot (embolus) forms elsewhere in the body (often the heart, such as in atrial fibrillation, or carotid arteries) and travels to the brain, lodging in and blocking a cerebral artery. This blockage restricts blood flow to a part of the brain, depriving brain cells of oxygen and nutrients, leading to their damage or death. Symptoms are sudden and can include weakness or numbness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking, vision changes, and severe headache. It's a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment to restore blood flow and minimize brain damage.
PKV Risk Assessment
Individual, specialized PHI providers may still insure you, but with a significant surcharge.
Impact on Your Insurance Policy
Duration of Illness (Initial)
Acute, lasting days to weeks for initial stabilization and early recovery.
Duration of Illness (Lifetime)
One-time acute event, but often leads to long-term neurological deficits requiring chronic management and rehabilitation.
Cost of Treatment (Initial)
Very high, ranging from tens of thousands to over a hundred thousand USD, depending on the severity, length of hospital stay, and need for specialized procedures like thrombectomy.
Cost of Treatment (Lifetime)
Significant, potentially hundreds of thousands of USD over a lifetime, encompassing rehabilitation, medication, assistive devices, long-term care, and management of secondary complications.
Mortality Rate
Approximately 15-30% in the acute phase, varying significantly based on stroke severity, location, age, and co-morbidities. Higher for large vessel occlusions.
Risk of Secondary Damages
High (60-80%), including persistent neurological deficits such as motor weakness, speech difficulties (aphasia), cognitive impairment, vision problems, and psychological issues like depression or anxiety.
Probability of Full Recovery
Moderate (20-40%) for achieving significant recovery, but complete recovery without any residual deficits is less common, estimated around 10-20% for moderate to severe cases.
Underlying Disease Risk
High (70-90%), commonly associated with atrial fibrillation, carotid artery disease, heart valve disorders, recent heart attack, patent foramen ovale (PFO), or hypercoagulable states.